Data Methodology
Transparency in how we collect, validate, and analyze private aviation market data
Our Commitment to Data Quality
Jet Market Reports exists to provide independent, accurate market intelligence for business aviation. Our methodology prioritizes data accuracy, source verification, and analytical transparency. We believe market participants deserve to understand how conclusions are reached.
This page documents our data collection methods, validation processes, and analytical frameworks so you can evaluate the reliability of our reports.
Data Source Hierarchy
Verified Transaction Records
Coverage: 89% of estimated market volume
Update: Daily
Direct feeds from 47 participating aircraft brokerages and dealers representing the majority of North American and European transactions. Includes confirmed sale prices, dates, aircraft condition reports, and party details.
Validation: Cross-referenced against FAA/EASA registration changes and escrow service confirmations where available.
Public Registration Records
Coverage: 100% of US-registered aircraft
Update: Weekly
FAA aircraft registration database tracking ownership transfers, de-registrations, and export certificates. International equivalents from EASA, ANAC, CAAC, and other national authorities.
Validation: Matches registration changes to transaction records from broker networks to confirm pricing and timing accuracy.
Listing Platform Aggregation
Coverage: 2,300+ active listings
Update: Daily
Automated monitoring of Controller.com, AviationTrader, Globalair, and 12 regional listing platforms tracking asking prices, listing duration, and price changes.
Validation: Asking prices filtered for outliers (±2 standard deviations). Days-on-market calculated from first appearance timestamp.
Operator Surveys
Coverage: 2,300+ respondents quarterly
Update: Quarterly
Confidential surveys distributed to aircraft owners, flight departments, and fractional operators regarding operational costs, utilization, and future purchase/sale intentions.
Validation: Responses weighted by fleet size and verified against known operational data when possible.
Industry Publications & Announcements
Coverage: Supplementary context
Update: As published
OEM delivery announcements, financial institution lending reports, regulatory changes, and trade publication market commentary.
Validation: Used for context and trend confirmation only; not used as standalone pricing or volume data.
Quality Assurance Process
Duplicate Detection
AI-powered matching algorithm identifies duplicate records across data sources by comparing serial numbers, registration marks, and transaction characteristics. Manual review of high-confidence matches.
Outlier Analysis
Statistical analysis flags transactions outside ±2 standard deviations from model-year-condition averages. Flagged records undergo manual review and source verification before inclusion or exclusion.
Cross-Source Verification
Transaction records matched against registration changes and listing histories to confirm timing, ownership transfers, and price reasonableness. Unverified records marked as 'unconfirmed' in datasets.
Data Completeness Check
Records missing core fields (model, year, price, or date) flagged for source follow-up. Current completeness rate: 94.7% for all required fields. Incomplete records excluded from averages but retained for volume counts.
Time Series Validation
Month-over-month and year-over-year changes reviewed for anomalies. Sudden spikes or drops investigated for data quality issues vs. genuine market movements. Corrections applied retroactively when errors discovered.
Expert Review
Quarterly review by aviation market analysts with 15+ years industry experience. Sanity checks on pricing trends, velocity calculations, and forward-looking indicators. Final approval before publication.
Analytical Frameworks
Pricing Benchmarks
Method: Age-Adjusted Comparable Sales
Average transaction prices calculated within model-year-condition cohorts (minimum 5 transactions per cohort). Prices adjusted for airframe hours, avionics upgrades, and maintenance status using regression analysis. Outliers (±2σ) excluded unless verifiable unique circumstances.
Transaction Velocity
Method: Days-on-Market Median
Median time from initial listing to confirmed sale, segmented by aircraft category and price range. Median used instead of mean to minimize impact of stale listings. Excludes listings withdrawn without sale and off-market transactions.
Market Sentiment
Method: Composite Index (Proprietary)
Weighted index combining: inventory-to-transaction ratio (35%), financing rate trends (25%), days-on-market changes (20%), operator survey forward intentions (15%), and price momentum (5%). Normalized to 0-100 scale with 50 = neutral.
Regional Distribution
Method: Registration-Based Geography
Transactions assigned to regions based on post-sale aircraft registration location. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, Africa. Cross-border transactions counted in destination region.
Depreciation Curves
Method: Age-Based Cohort Analysis
Year-over-year value retention calculated for aircraft grouped by manufacturing year. Compares same aircraft valuations across multiple time periods to isolate age-related depreciation from market-wide price movements. Minimum 3-year observation period.
Data Update Schedule
| Dataset | Update Frequency | Publication Delay |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Records | Daily | 24-48 hours |
| Active Listings | Daily | Real-time |
| Pricing Benchmarks | Weekly | 7 days |
| Market Indicators | Weekly | 7 days |
| Registration Changes | Weekly | 5-7 days |
| Operator Surveys | Quarterly | 14 days |
| Model Specifications | Quarterly | 30 days |
Last methodology review: October 2025 | Next scheduled review: January 2026
Known Limitations
What Our Data Cannot Capture
- • Off-Market Transactions: Private sales negotiated without broker involvement or public listing (estimated 10-15% of market)
- • International Blind Spots: Emerging markets with limited registration transparency (Africa, parts of Asia, Middle East)
- • Aircraft Condition Details: Internal inspections, squawk lists, and detailed maintenance logs not systematically captured
- • Financing Terms: Down payment percentages, interest rates, and loan structures typically confidential
- • Seller Motivation: Whether sale was voluntary, distressed, estate-driven, or corporate restructuring
We continuously work to expand coverage and improve data quality. If you identify errors or have access to data sources we should incorporate, please contact us at data@jetmarketreports.com
Questions About Our Methodology?
We're committed to transparency. If you have questions about our data sources, validation processes, or analytical methods, we're here to help.
Contact Our Team