Preowned business aircraft inventories have begun to creep back up, according to the latest information from JetNet. The Utica, New York-based company noted the percentage of the worldwide private jet fleet for sale in March was up more than a half point year-over-year, to 9.9 percent. It marked the first time since 2016 that the month of March saw a year-over-year increase in the fleet percentage for sale. Business jet sale transactions slowed by 5.8 percent from March 2019, with aircraft on average taking 13 days longer to sell.

An inventory of above 10 percent is generally considered a buyer’s market, but JetNet cautioned that while the number of jets currently for sale increased by 162, or 7.9 percent, to 2,215 in March 2020, it pales in comparison to 2009 when available business jets jumped by 1,095 units, a 62 percent increase, during the height of the Great Recession.

While the turboprop market saw a moderate 0.2 percent rise in inventory, it had a 13.8 percent decrease in the number of transactions and 51 fewer days on market. Sales transactions in the turbine helicopter sector saw a nearly 35 percent decline in first-quarter 2019 and 2020 comparisons, but those that did sell earlier this year spent one month less on market. Available turbine helicopter inventory rose by half a percentage point, to 5.6 percent, year-over-year.