Pre-owned retail transaction starts in the light and midsize business jet segments experienced one of their best first quarters in the past 10 years, according to market information firm Amstat. Midsize jet turnover was 2.6 percent of the fleet in the quarter, just shy of the rolling 10-year high of 2.7 percent in the same period in 2014, while light jet turnover was 2.8 percent, not far behind the 2.9 percent and 3 percent in the first quarters of 2013 and 2008, respectively.

Business jet resale retail transactions increased slightly in the first quarter, with 2.4 percent of the fleet turning over versus 2.3 percent a year ago, Amstat said. However, transaction activity in the large-cabin segment cooled a bit at 1.6 percent turnover in the first three months versus 1.7 percent last year. Business turboprop transactions, at 1.6 percent fleet turnover, had the worst first-quarter performance for this segment since 2009, according to Amstat.

Meanwhile, business jet inventory finished the quarter at 11.2 percent of the active fleet for sale, essentially unchanged from a year ago. Midsize and large-cabin jet inventory continued to contract—now at 11.2 percent and 10 percent, respectively—but light jet levels increased from 11.2 percent in January to 12 percent last month. The number of turboprops for sale also crept up over the last quarter, from 8.2 percent to 8.5 percent.

Average asking prices also declined across the board from a year ago: light jets, -1.4 percent; midsize jets, -4.6 percent; large-cabin, -1.8 percent; and turboprops, -3 percent.