Four to five years ago it looked like the turboprop was on its way out. Prices of used turboprops were in freefall, and the sales of the few turboprop twins still in production were slumping. Vref, a leading aircraft value reference, reported that an index of average selling prices forpopular used turboprops lost 25 percent of its value from 2001 to 2004.
Best Used Turboprops
Key Takeaways:
- The market for used turboprops has fully recovered from a post-9/11 slump, with average values returning to or exceeding 2001 peaks, driven by increasing demand and the critical importance of fuel efficiency.
- Turboprops offer distinct advantages over business jets, including simplicity, excellent short-field performance, less regulation, and superior fuel economy.
- The article categorizes and recommends several used turboprop models for different missions: the TBM 700 for personal flying, the Beechcraft King Air B200 for corporate use, and the Cessna 441 Conquest II, Pilatus PC-12, and King Air C90B for combined missions.
- Older "value-conscious" models like the Piper Cheyenne I and Aero Commander 690 offer significant capability for their price, though their market value is flatter due to perceived manufacturer support uncertainty.
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