Rotortrade through its six offices and various partners around the world has reported
Strong 2018 results with 25 helicopter deliveries,  10 backlogs and more than 30 new exclusive mandates across manufactures, class and mission. During the past year, Rotortrade team has been travelling in over 30 countries to meet its customers, inspect helicopters and develop new partnerships. Together with its regional partners, the company is weaving an extensive network covering more and more of the global market.
In the first quarter of 2019, Rotortrade will be attending the following trade events:

•    20-24 February - Aero India in Bangalore, India
•    20-22 February – Aero Expo in Toluca, Mexico
•    26-3 March – Avalon-Australia international Aerospace & Defence Exposition in Melbourne, Australia
•    4-7 March- Heli Expo 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia
•    26-30 March- LIMA- Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition
•    9-11 April – Rotorcraft Asia in Changi, Singapore



Please contact us for more info and to schedule a meeting with our team at [email protected]

Rotortrade will be pleased to assist you in any of your helicopter transaction around the world from our regional offices in Malaysia, France, USA, Singapore, Canada, Mexico and through our local partners.

13th International Aviation Trade Show & Expo CIAM is supported by the Mexican Federal & State Governments and the worldwide Aeronautics Industry, CIAM provides valuable business opportunities to meet and make sales with aircraft manufacturers, operators, pilots, airlines, maintenance, repair & overhaul companies, service assistance, air cargo transportation, instruction & training, military, airline owner associations, as well as companies dedicated to the sale of equipment and accessories to the national and international industry leaders.

CIAM 2018 will be held in Cancun, Mexico on 13 th -15 th November 2018, Rotortrade team would be happy to meet you there! For any inquiries or meeting appointments please contact us at [email protected].

INDODEFENCE 2018 EXPO & FORUM - The Indonesia’s  Tri-Service Defence, Aerospace, Helicopter and Maritime security event will be held at Jakarta International Expo Kemayoran, Indonesia From 7 – 10 November 2018. Hosted by the Ministry of Defence, INDODEFENCE 2018 Expo & Forum is recognized as the indispensable place to be, learn, network and do business. Rotortrade team will be there as well and would be pleased to meet you. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at [email protected]

The Helicopter Association of Canada (HAC) is Canada’s must attend helicopter event. This event helps to promote a political and regulatory environment that will foster a prosperous Canadian helicopter industry. Its mission is to educate its members, civil servants, and the general public about issues that are important to the industry. The association aims to develop and expand the utilization of helicopter transport at all levels of Canadian life and to exchange maintenance practices and common issues among members. This year HAC 23RD Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held at Vancouver, British Columbia on November 1st-4th 2018.

Rotortrade team will be happy to meet you there! Stay in touch with us to schedule an appointment at [email protected]

Rotortrade paves the way for greater value in the pre-owned helicopter market: Comprehensive HEMS start-up package and another great example of industry cooperation.

The HEMS market has seen constant and significant growth over the last few years, be it in developing markets or mature ones. Growth has seen double digits, making it the fastest growing helicopter mission segment with even more opportunities ahead.
Ambulatory healthcare, national and local governments clearly recognize the needs and benefits of air ambulances and emergency air medical evacuations.

With that in mind, various barriers to entry have kept new entrants away. Operators have to invest in helicopters equipped with state of the art avionics allowing IFR all weather flying and on-board medical equipment; special infrastructures such as hospital helipads, weather stations and emergency communications must be put in place while crews must go through extensive mission training.

Two to three helicopters are needed to start an efficient HEMS operation. This allows fleet availability for at least one aircraft by accounting for maintenance downtime and mitigating risk for unscheduled events.

Those who manage to clear all these hurdles have a bright future ahead.

The high capital expenditures & expertise required to start an HEMS operation have kept smaller players and secondary markets out of the game for the most part. However, we are seeing some change in the market, with various companies teaming up to offer comprehensive packages to meet operator requirements for lower entry costs or simply fast and efficient scaling solutions.

An example of this is Rotortrade’s partnership with Leonardo Helicopters offering 3 pre-owned A109E Power in EMS configuration in an unbeatable package deal. These ships previously operated by a leading US HEMS operator are ready to start saving lives. The offer includes nose-to-tail Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) warranty coverage from Leonardo and Pratt & Whitney Canada made possible through proper OEM maintenance ensuring care free start of operations and combined with pilot and technician training.

These companies are working hand in hand to provide affordbale turnkey solutions with comprehensive support, thereby reducing barriers to entry. This package can be customized based on the client’s needs. Rotortrade is already working on similar packages with fully equipped EC145 helicopters also very popular for HEMS operations.

For more info please contact us at [email protected]

The Air Medical Transport Conference (AMTC) is specifically designed to provide leadership, to educate, to inform, to cultivate friendships and to supply up to the minute information on the latest techniques and innovative approaches to emergency medical transport practice from the experts in your field.

Network and learn with more than 2,300 colleagues from across the nation and around the world at the largest air medical convention and exposition available. The AMTC brings it all together, while providing unmatched opportunities for building profitable contacts. It’s simple, if you are involved in emergency medical transport on any level, the AMTC is the place to be, Rotortrade team will see you there in Phoenix, Arizona USA – October 22-24, 2018!

For any inquires or meeting appointments please contact us at [email protected]

Rotortrade paves the way for greater value in the pre-owned helicopter market: First OEM nose-to-tail Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) helicopter delivery and a great example of industry cooperation.


Rotortrade delivers the first nose-to-tail Certified Pre-Owned helicopter to a private operator thanks to the successful partnership and collaboration between Rotortrade, Leonardo and Pratt & Whitney Canada.

Rotortrade delivered a pre-owned AW109SP for private use in Europe last week. The helicopter featured warranty from Leonardo on the airframe, and was the first pre-owned helicopter to have engines covered as well by PWC warranty providing unparalleled peace of mind and total commitment from the manufacturers to the end user.

Rotortrade is a fully independent helicopter dealer and also the sole distributor of Leonardo Helicopter pre-owned helicopters. Through this partnership, it is able to offer pre-owned helicopters with the full backing of the OEM. Rotortrade also launched with Pratt & Whitney Canada during this year’s HAI a new CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) service to its customers for all pre-owned PWC 206, 207 and PT-6 engines.

These partnerships truly leverage the competencies and expertize of various key industry players for the benefit of operators.

“Each party worked hard over several months to deliver this pre-owned helicopter in pristine condition and with maximum benefit to the end client. We are very grateful to Leonardo and PWC and other top tier companies involved for their unwavering commitment and efforts to bring quality products to market and create higher value on the mature yet inefficient pre-owned helicopter market. We will continue to work with OEMs to extend similar CPO products on other makes and models.” says Rotortrade President Philipe Lubrano.

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the world's largest civil aviation trade show.

Over 25,000 industry professionals will participate for the most important three days of business aviation. Ranked as the third largest trade show in the United States, the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) will be held Oct. 16–18, 2018, in Orlando, Florida, bringing together current and prospective aircraft owners, manufacturers and customers into one meeting place to get critical work accomplished.

Rotortrade team will be there as well and would be delighted to meet you! Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment at [email protected]

Helitech International is the largest helicopter exhibition and conference in Europe dedicated to helicopter products, parts, accessories and services. The exhibition brings together over 3,000 buyers worldwide with up to 150 international exhibitors including 4 major OEMs and a full representation of the rotorcraft supply chain comprising aircraft interiors, avionics and navigation systems to communication equipment, night vision, engines and leasing and regulatory solutions. For the first time this edition will have a new focus on UAV technology, and the synergies within the rotorcraft industry.

Helitech International is the European Launchpad for technology innovation, providing a high-level conference programme and a networking experience.

This year the annual event will return in Amsterdam RAI, October 16-18, in association with European Helicopter Association. Rotortrade Team will welcome you there!

Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment at [email protected]

While the market remains very much a so called “Sellers Market” (when the % of any given type of helicopter exceeds the threshold of 5 to 6% of the total fleet of the same type), we do see a slight decrease in the % fleet for sale now around 5 to 6% depending on the type which can be attributed in part to a higher number of transactions but also to fewer helicopters being placed ”˜on-market’.

Indeed, the market in the past few years has forced sellers to either accept greater depreciation in order to sell their assets and/or to remove their helicopters from the open market.

Despite online marketing tools, the pre-owned helicopter market is very opaque and more and more transactions are being made off-market which means without publicly advertising the assets online or on any structured market place. By doing so, sellers avoid showing long Average Days on Market of their helicopters. This also enables sellers to avoid un-controlled and non-mandated listing by unscrupulous brokers thus ensuring more consistent information flow, higher buyer confidence and ultimately a much better chance of selling assets at a better price.

The notion of exclusivity is tossed around and generally misunderstood. While there is a risk of complacency on the part of the broker, in the case of serious organizations, it enables much higher focus and resource allocation. Most importantly, it helps secure a much safer and better controlled environment in which go-to-market strategies can be tailored to specific customer requirements. Ultimately, it enables the buyer or the seller at the other end to have much better confidence and trust in the helicopter being considered. In short you avoid having several parties offering the same helicopter with different specs and different prices creating confusion, lack of trust and lack of interest.

Pre-Owned Market by Mission Segment

With around 9,000 units in operation in 2017,the Utility helicopter segment dominates the market and is the most resilient. Despite the growth of alternative technology including drones, helicopters still boast unique mission capabilities that cannot be replaced easily or at all (lifting, firefighting, cargo transport, power line maintenance etc). Requirements in emerging countries remain also very strong. As utility contracts are often highly competitive and short term, these require cost-effective and very flexible solutions well suited to pre-owned helicopters.

The Charter/Corporate/VIP segment (6,000 aircraft) which was less buoyant in the past few years with private owners exiting the market because of low residual values, a mostly unprofessional brokerage market, more and more stringent regulations hence increase in maintenance and overall ownership costs is now seeing a rebound. Corporate/VIP helicopters in some key markets such as China are still far form their true potential suffering from a negative image of uncontrolled wealth instead of the efficient business tools they really are. While main markets for VIP/Corporate transport remains North America and Europe, we have probably seen the bottoming out of this segment with private and corporate buyers now taking advantage of the historically low prices.

For the roughly 1,700 Offshore and SAR helicopters, global fleet utilization hit a low of 54% in the end of 2017. The sector is seeing the first signs of a pick-up but remains lacklustre. Lease of mainly medium or heavy twins is usually preferred to outright purchase especially for short-term offshore exploration and thanks to current lease rates. Sustainability of the leasing business as it stands is another discussion”¦

The life saving EMS helicopter segment (5,000 in operation today) continues to see growth with huge potential in emerging markets only dampened by the lack of infrastructure and adequate regulations. There is a very good business case for second or third HEMS helicopters to open new markets with reasonable investment and thus lower risk. The alternative is to reconfigure former EMS helis to other mission segments representing good opportunities but another set of challenges which need to be well planned and managed in order to succeed.

Pre-Owned Market by Helicopter Type

Light Singles represent the bulk of the market with roughly 60% of the pre-owned fleet with short turnaround time and easy reconfiguration. This type of helicopter is low maintenance, relatively cheap to purchase and also easy to transport and operate. A competitively priced single engine helicopter can be sold within 3 to 4 months on average. Demand is mostly for Airbus AS350/H215; EC/H130, Bell 206; 407 and now the 505 while the Leonardo A119 is seeing renewed interest. Robinsons R66 also trade actively.

Light Twins have longer average days on market than light singles but remain reasonably liquid. This is notably true for younger Corporate/VIP aircraft (less than 5 years and less than 1,000 hours) which also do well for EMS/SAR reconfigurations. Demand is mostly for BK/EC/H145; EC/HC135 for AIRBUS, Bell 429 for BELL, and AW109E/S/SP for LEONARDO.

Medium Twins see similar interest for VIP low time young models albeit with significantly longer time on market. We see also some pick-up for utility and offshore helicopters. Demand is mainly for Leonardo AW139 for VIP/utility/SAR and Bell 412 / 212.

The Super Medium segment is too young for the pre-owned market but we see some interest and a few transactions for AW189 and H175 that should gather momentum in the coming years.

The Heavy segment and notably the Super Puma market so badly hit by the oil price drop and the MGB crisis is finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel. First transactions have finally taken place and prices seem to have bottomed out and the market to have agreed on their market values. While most industry professionals would agree that the SP and notably the 225 future is anything but uncertain for the offshore market mainly to the benefit of the super mediums, SAR and utility, firefighting missions have real potential. Must be noted that the 225 in Military or SAR configuration (same certification base as the civil version) is still doing extremely well. All-in-all, this segment may represent the best opportunity today with growing demand and very low prices. Must be noted the progressive opening up of government regulations to allow pre-owned helicopters in public tenders as they slowly realize the huge benefit and low downside this can represent vs buying only brand new at a time when many countries have serious budget constraints.

Way Forward

The driving factors to efficiently buy or sell a pre-owned helicopter is to elaborate a comprehensive, coherent and realistic go-to-market strategy driven by helicopter type and model, configuration/mission, location & airworthiness (status and authority), recent and upcoming maintenance, operational requirements, mission/market specific equipment mod/demod, acquisition price/budget and last but not least seller/buyer unique requirements.

There are unfortunately many unqualified actors on the market working contrary to any structured and controlled approach for the sale or procurement of used helicopters.

We also note the insufficient support from manufacturers for inter-mission convertability. OEMs must develop more simple retrofit kits and explain to new buyers why they should always include basic utility provisions for higher future resell values. Manufacturers must see their interest in not only manufacturing and selling brand new helicopters but also keeping pre-owned helis in operation.
Another big factor impeding the pre-owned heli market is the lack of reference or qualification of most appraisers unlike the more structured commercial airliner market.

All in all, we note a general lack of quality standards on the used market that need to be addressed by the various stakeholders rather then weighing mainly on the end user’s shoulders.

Today the best way to buy or sell an aircraft is to choose a professional company that can advise and bring real added value to the process and most importantly to be realistic and in tune with the market. Its easier to say what a customer wants to hear then to tell the truth, but the truth will be more helpful in achieving customer goals.

Rotortrade’s mission statement is to bring innovation and value to the pre-owned market for the benefit of helicopter operators and users, the heart and soul of our industry. Thanks to the co-development of Certified Pre-Owned programs with manufacturers such as Leonardo, PWC and Safran HE, Rotortrade is able to propose OEM warranty on selected pre-owned helicopters for greater peace of mind. Rotortrade is also making steady headway in bringing together exclusively a growing network of industry leading professionals that share the same values and see the opportunity in this mature yet inefficient market.