Aircraft Bluebook
Encyclopedia
There are currently four aircraft bluebooks (three paid-subscription and one free resource) used within the aviation industry.
One of the commonly referenced paid-subscription publications is the Aircraft Price Digest which identifies and prices more than 3,000 used general aviation
aircraft
and helicopter
make and model-years available in the USA. Coverage includes avionics
, airworthiness
, common conversions and overhaul usage limits. There is also the very similar, Vref - Aircraft Value Reference used by both aircraft brokers and a number of financial institutions, and the Airliner Price Guide. All three are updated every three to six months, available in printed form or online, and are paid subscriptions.
There is a free service, the International Bluebook, which offers general bluebook figures online for specific, individual jet aircraft for sale – but only through dealer’s sites or on jet aircraft multiple listing services (MLS) sites such as JetListe.
None of the aviation industry Bluebooks may be expected to give the simple calculation accuracy typical of the USA automotive industry books. A number of issues contribute to the difficulty in presenting a clear figure for a make/model/year, such as lack of central reporting of aircraft sales for either tax or license requirements, the complexity of individual aircraft value calculations, the timing of sales (long timeframes from offer to closing during which time the market can go up or down substantially), multiple synchronous closings for jet aircraft in particular, international currency sales, and non-disclosure-of-price terms included in many transaction documents.
Most banks hire a professional broker/appraiser to allocate a value to an individual aircraft prior to funding. Appraisals usually include an onsite inspection and can be influenced by complex variables such as the year (manufactured year, delivery year, serial number sequence); time on airframe and engines (or until upcoming major inspection and maintenance events); damage (including where/how repaired); logbook and upgrades history; previous owners (number, type usage, and geographic location); maintenance programs (specially approved maintenance schedules and/or power by the hour
engine insurance type plans); avionics; options; current mechanical, interior and exterior condition etc.
The Bluebook scale is used throughout the industry to rate the exterior and interior of aircraft. A rating of 10 means the aircraft is new, and 1 means that the aircraft is not fit for occupation or flight without extensive work.
One of the commonly referenced paid-subscription publications is the Aircraft Price Digest which identifies and prices more than 3,000 used general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
make and model-years available in the USA. Coverage includes avionics
Avionics
Avionics are electronic systems used on aircraft, artificial satellites and spacecraft.Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems and the hundreds of systems that are fitted to aircraft to meet individual roles...
, airworthiness
Airworthiness
Airworthiness is a term used to describe whether an aircraft has been certified as suitable for safe flight. Certification is initially conferred by a Certificate of Airworthiness from a National Airworthiness Authority, and is maintained by performing required maintenance actions by a licensed...
, common conversions and overhaul usage limits. There is also the very similar, Vref - Aircraft Value Reference used by both aircraft brokers and a number of financial institutions, and the Airliner Price Guide. All three are updated every three to six months, available in printed form or online, and are paid subscriptions.
There is a free service, the International Bluebook, which offers general bluebook figures online for specific, individual jet aircraft for sale – but only through dealer’s sites or on jet aircraft multiple listing services (MLS) sites such as JetListe.
None of the aviation industry Bluebooks may be expected to give the simple calculation accuracy typical of the USA automotive industry books. A number of issues contribute to the difficulty in presenting a clear figure for a make/model/year, such as lack of central reporting of aircraft sales for either tax or license requirements, the complexity of individual aircraft value calculations, the timing of sales (long timeframes from offer to closing during which time the market can go up or down substantially), multiple synchronous closings for jet aircraft in particular, international currency sales, and non-disclosure-of-price terms included in many transaction documents.
Most banks hire a professional broker/appraiser to allocate a value to an individual aircraft prior to funding. Appraisals usually include an onsite inspection and can be influenced by complex variables such as the year (manufactured year, delivery year, serial number sequence); time on airframe and engines (or until upcoming major inspection and maintenance events); damage (including where/how repaired); logbook and upgrades history; previous owners (number, type usage, and geographic location); maintenance programs (specially approved maintenance schedules and/or power by the hour
Power By The Hour
Power-by-the-Hour is a term coined by Bristol Siddeley in the early 1960s. It was used to describe a support service provided for Viper engines in the dH125, HS125 and BH125 business jet aircraft...
engine insurance type plans); avionics; options; current mechanical, interior and exterior condition etc.
The Bluebook scale is used throughout the industry to rate the exterior and interior of aircraft. A rating of 10 means the aircraft is new, and 1 means that the aircraft is not fit for occupation or flight without extensive work.