Host: Jason Zilberbrand, President of VREF Aircraft Value Reference & Appraisal Services

Overview

In this episode of The Truth About the Market, Jason turns the spotlight on the aviation community itself. Drawing from the latest VREF Market Sentiment Survey, which gathered responses from over 1,000 buyers, sellers, brokers, lenders, and operators, he breaks down what people across the industry are seeing, feeling, and planning for as 2025 comes to a close.

From shifting inventory trends and rising operating costs to tightening loan conditions and the widening gap between buyer optimism and seller expectations, Jason walks through the key insights that define today’s market. This isn’t speculation—it’s a direct look at what aviation professionals are actually saying about the year ahead.

In This Episode

  • Market Mood: The community is evenly divided between optimism, caution, and pessimism—a sign of a truly transitional market.
  • Inventory Trends: Aircraft are taking longer to sell as buyers slow down and sellers recalibrate pricing.
  • Financing and Affordability: Interest rates, stricter LTV ratios, and higher costs are reshaping purchase behavior across all segments.
  • Maintenance and Upgrades: MRO backlogs, high costs, and split opinions on engine programs are affecting both resale and operations.
  • Regional Differences: U.S. respondents cite financing concerns, Europeans focus on sustainability, Latin Americans on parts and skilled labor, and Middle Eastern and Asian buyers on access to new aircraft.
  • Buyer Priorities: Transparency, clear pedigree, fewer pre-buy surprises, and more flexible lending options top the list of what customers want most.
  • Market Heat Map: Jason identifies which aircraft are selling fast, which are stabilizing, and which are now deep in buyer’s market territory.
  • Negotiation Strategy: How to read days-on-market data, act decisively in hot segments, and stay patient when leverage shifts.

Jason’s Takeaway

“We’re not looking at a collapse—we’re looking at normalization. The frenzy is over, and the market is finding its balance again. This is where informed buyers and realistic sellers both win. In aviation today, certainty and clarity are the new currency.”

Listen Now If You Want To

  • Understand how your peers are viewing the next 12 months of the market
  • Learn which aircraft segments are holding value and which are softening
  • Get Jason’s guidance on pricing, financing, and remarketing strategy
  • Benchmark your expectations against real, data-backed industry sentiment

See the Full Report

For charts, detailed breakdowns, and Jason’s complete written analysis of the 2025 VREF Market Sentiment Survey, visit vref.com/results.