A Bluebook for Aircraft?

There are several publications regarding airplane values. However, you haven't mentioned what type of planes. If you are buying piston powered planes, the AOPA website is probably a very good source. If you are buying large turbine type planes, you might want to invest in a consultant, who specializes in each type of plane. The prices have been pretty volatile in the last few months. An example: 74 Cessna 501 with 1/2 time motors, but without RSMV used to have a value of 1.5M, now being offered at 700k.

Hope this helps.

Art

 

There is a bluebook for aircraft, actually-- most aircraft dealers have a copy. I don't remember who publishes it. There is also AMSTAT, which is a subscription based website which includes most aircraft on the market.

However, there are many, many complexities, depending on what type of aircraft you are talking about. Many larger aircraft have separate ownership of the engines and the airframes, and component times, etc. are a big deal.

If you are at all serious, you should find a consultant who can work with you and who knows the ins and outs of the specific aircraft you are trying to value.

Your best source might be the aircraft financing department of your bank, if they have one.

For a ballpark, the bluebook or VREF (which I believe is available on the AOPA website) would be fine, but serious due diligence should be done before you actually do the deal.

 

I'm familiar with Vref that Don mentioned. Besides those, there are always "comparables", so you could check listings in Trade-a-Plane (more personal aircraft) and Controller (more corporate aircraft).

Also aircraft values (at least personal aircraft) tend to be as sensitive to history as Ferrari's. In other words complete airframe and engine logs (logbooks back to manufacture or remanufacture), current AD (Airworthiness Directives) compliance and NDH (no damage history) are needed to avoid getting dinged on value.

 

As stated earlier, VREF and tradeaplane are good places to start. Prices vary greatly depending on engine times, airframe times, damage history and avionics. You are going to have to go through the logbooks of each hull and engine to verfiy these times, ADs are up to date and any changes were properly installed and approved. Some aircraft are getting pretty old so title searches are a good idea as well. Good luck

 

Would also agree on Controller for corporate and T-A-P for non-commercial/specialty. T-A-P has a nice on-line subscription feature.

A somewhat hit and miss, but free, web site is www.barnstormers.com ; it's kind of like the trader pubs in the grocery store. Actually kind of fun.

For certain categories of a/c, if you are not familiar with the ever-changing AD status it might be better to go through a broker.

 

the type of aircraft and how they have been maintained AS WELL AS how well the records have been kept are key to the resale /retail/ inventory value. i work for Gulfstream /General Dynamics, and other than what i worked on in A&P school, all i have trained on for the last 8 years are all of the Gulfstreams.

i have done a gazzillion pre buy and 72 month inspections. just like a car, its all about condition. i have seen a few GII's come in that are hangar kept and spotless. but then i have seen overseas G450s with the snot flown out of them, that need alot of cleaning and care to be "happy" .

i am in the USA and as such, i have no clue how your logbooks differ from ours. most all of our customers are on a MSG3 program which is a set planned maintenance and inspection program centered on keeping the aircraft in the air in use and off the jack stands.

seems a used aircraft guide or a loan value guide would be difficult to keep accurate given the costs of parts and labor with the larger helo's and jets.

 

I am an aviation lawyer and close several sales a month ($8Million + this week) and though I don't typically get involved in the price negotiations, there are people who know the markets on any particular aircraft and can tell precisely what the market is doing with respect to any particular make and model.

PM me if you need a referral.