Aero Asset reports tightening supply and strong liquidity in the single-engine helicopter market

Helicopter sales and market intelligence firm, Aero Asset, has released its 2026 Half Year Heli Market Trends Single-Engine edition.

Backed by Aero Asset's expertise and proprietary market intelligence, the report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global preowned single-engine helicopter market during the first half of 2026.

The report examines retail sales activity, supply, pricing, regional market dynamics and liquidity trends across the industry's most actively traded single-engine helicopter models. The first half of 2026 was marked by declining retail sales and shrinking inventory for sale, driving the absorption rate down to five months.

"Although transaction activity declined during the first half of the year, the market remained healthy,” said Valérie Pereira, Vice President of Market Research. "Inventory tightened faster than demand softened, supporting pricing stability and liquidity. Buyer demand remained active for quality aircraft, while sellers benefited from one of the lowest supply levels observed in recent years."

Pricing

Pricing remained resilient during the first half of 2026 despite softer transaction activity. Median transaction prices declined only modestly YOY, reflecting the continued balance between limited inventory and disciplined buyer demand rather than pricing pressure across the market. The sold to asking price ratio also remained strong, demonstrating that sellers generally achieved values close to market expectations.

On average, helicopters sold approximately 12% below asking price, a level consistent with a healthy negotiating environment where well-maintained aircraft continued to attract qualified buyers and transact within reasonable marketing periods.

Regional Trends

The North American market remained the largest retail market during the first half of 2026, accounting for the majority of completed sales transactions. The APAC market had the most supply for sale in the first half of the year, followed by Europe. Sales decreased across all regions with the Latin American market experiencing the biggest drop (-50% YOY).

Inventory for sale declined across most regions YOY, reflecting the broader global trend. As a result, buyers continued to compete for a limited number of aircraft.

Liquidity Rankings

Liquidity remained strongest in the Airbus AS350 B3/B3e/H125 market, followed by the Bell 407/GX/P/I markets. The Airbus EC130 B4/H130 market recorded the weakest liquidity metrics among the tracked single-engine helicopter models, with an estimated absorption rate of 1.3 years.

Download 2026 Half Year Heli Market Trends Single-Engine Edition

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 23rd July 2026 | Issue #852