Describing a turnaround in demand in the preowned market “so dramatic and quick it seems surreal,” Jay Mesinger, president and CEO of Mesinger Jet Sales, said at the NBAA White Plains Regional yesterday that buyers must “be willing to pay a little more if an airplane checks the boxes” for their needs, while he urged the industry “not to believe people will pay premiums” for desired aircraft models. Mesinger spoke during A Collaborative Discussion of Market Conditions, a session he hosted at the Regional at New York’s Westchester County Airport.

Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets, said his company recognizes the increased demand but is “not ramping up production” and remains “very focused on holding price,” adding, “If you have an OEM that holds price, that means you’re getting fair value and [investment] protection through the life of that aircraft.”

Sheryl Barden, president and CEO of recruiting firm Aviation Personnel International, said staffing shortages threaten the expansion. “We’re losing pilots to the airlines and maintenance professionals to other industries,” she said. “There are also ways our business aviation operators are winning at this, and yes, it has meant there’s had to be a reshuffling and recalibration of compensation.”