Buying&Selling 2.qxp_Finance 22/11/2021 16:53 Page 1
BUYING & SELLING AIRCRAFT
AVBUYER.com
Used Helicopters: Matching Machine to Mission What are some top tips when finding a pre-owned helicopter to match your mission need? Dave Higdon shares some industry advice...
W
hile there’s a lot that is different between helicopters and fixed-wing business aircraft, there’s far less different about the chore of choosing the best match between the ship and its mission. Both selection jobs depend on the best assessment of the mission and how well any given aircraft fits with that mission profile. For example, a helicopter set up for firefighting may have the payload needed for an executive transport. But the process of stripping out the firefighting equipment and refitting the interior for executive work will add costs, and extend the downtime between closing on the transaction and receiving the helicopter ready for operations.
Wading Through the Weeds
An aircraft sales specialist we spoke to compared the process of searching for the ideal aircraft to looking for a golf ball from a hooked drive off the tee: “You just have to get out there and wade through the weeds. The golfer may find a ball the moment they step off the fairway. But is it the right golf ball?” The sales specialist noted that in normal times used inventory for sale would offer many candidates. “These are not normal times; inventories are at a low ebb, increasing the 50 Vol 25 Issue 12 2021 AVBUYER MAGAZINE
importance of a thorough check of the paperwork and condition before shaking hands on a deal.” The specialization of so many helicopters may complicate the search, but an experienced dealer or broker within the field of rotorcraft sales can help clear the ‘weeds’, narrowing the search by first eliminating candidates that will require significant refits to match the mission need. Should the would-be buyer need a helicopter outfitted for specialized work, the experienced dealer or broker can find, and focus, on ships already equipped for that specialized work. One broker speaking with AvBuyer asked rhetorically, “why buy an air ambulance when an executive helicopter is needed – unless, that is, the price is so good that the final costs after purchase and refit will be in the same range as buying one already equipped for the mission.
Focus on the Candidate’s Usage
As you narrow the choices down, remember that helicopters operate in every region of the world, which makes a specialized check for environmental damage a must. For example, if the helicopter spent its working life within a few miles of saltwater, extra steps to find – and remedy – saltwater corrosion should be an early step.
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