There are over 31,000 piston and turbine-powered helicopters in the United States alone.

If you want to own one of these exceptional machines, you may be wondering about the purchase price and your overall budget. After all, helicopters aren’t cheap and keeping them airworthy cant get pretty expensive. VREF is lucky to have on its staff one of the most knowledgable helicopter appraisers in the world, Dick Hart. Dick is a Senior Accredited Appraiser with the ASA and ISA, and he is also an A&P licensed mechanic.

To help you get some estimates, we’ve put to gathered this guide to help you get the best helicopter at the best price possible.

Keep reading to learn how to get the best deal on your helicopter purchase.

1. Make a Budget

The first thing you need to do before you jump into buying a helicopter requires some careful planning, what is your budget? have you spoken to a potential lender? Carefully consider what you’ll be using your new equipment for which will help determine how much you can spend on one. IN other words, are you using the helicopter to help grow or manage an existing business, like farming or agriculture? Or are you planning starting an off-shore oil refinery and need lift?

If you need to take out a loan to purchase your helicopter, this is a great time to get pre-approved for a loan. After all, if you can’t get ahold of the amount that you need, there’s no point in starting your search just yet!

2. Shop Around

A good rule to follow whenever making any large purchase is to never buy from the first place you look. You should always take some time to see what other sellers are offering their helicopter for and you may find a much better deal. Better yet, call an expert broker or reach out to someone like Dick and ask for help. Some of the best deals are with the equipment that never gets placed onto the open market. Use VREF Online to gather value and determine the model, age and potential equipment you need. Unlike other databases, VREF’s data is always up to date and the pricing is accurate.

3. Negotiate

Once you’ve found the right helicopter, don’t be afraid to try to negotiate the price if it’s just outside of your budget. The owner may be willing to drop the price for you, especially if you’re paying in cash.

Be reasonable with your expectations as you negotiate and don’t be afraid to walk away if the other person simply won’t budge enough to meet your budget. In that case, you’ll just have to keep looking elsewhere.

4. Consider Your Needs

What you’ll be using your helicopter for will determine more than your budget. It will also help you decide how big of a helicopter and what type you’ll need.

For example, if you’re looking for something to fly for fun with just you and one other person, a two-passenger helicopter like a Robinson R22 or R44 will likely be more than enough. However, if you want to do tours with small groups, you’re going to need a bigger bird.

5. Get an Appraisal

One of the best ways you can get a better price on a helicopter is to get an appraisal. A thorough inspection of an aircraft you’re looking at could reveal some potential issues or problems that will help you save thousands of dollars.

It will also ensure the safety of your new helicopter and help you know what maintenance you can expect to do after finalizing the purchase. If you are looking at several aircraft and are not quite sure what to do, then order A Verified Value Report  instead of an appraisal and it will give you everything you need to know about an aircraft, think of it as a “CarFax” for aircraft, background check, damage history, value, and much more!

Want to Get the Best Helicopter Price?

Now you know the best ways to get the ideal helicopter price. As you can see, by putting these tips to work, you can save yourself tons of money when purchasing a helicopter.

If you’re looking to get the best helicopter deals, contact us today. With 25 years of experience in the aviation market and a dedicated team of professionals, we can make your dream helicopter a reality.