Q4 2026 CubCrafters Market Update

Dear Fellow Pilots and Owners,

Winter is coming… or so they say. In some parts of the country, you are enjoying the first hints of fall, while in others, you may be debating if winter will ever come. Nonetheless, we are entering some of the best flying weather of the year: not too hot, not too cold, less turbulence, and great views no matter where you’re based. For us, “winter is coming” has a different meaning: Q4, and the flurry of aircraft transactions that take place, is already here. 

For anyone that has bought, sold, insured, repaired, or simply owned an airplane, it’s no secret that the volume of deals grows significantly at the end of the year. For reasons including tax motivations, holiday bonuses, gifts (if you fall in this category, I would like to talk), and budget planning, airplanes move in the late months. But the question is, what does this mean for you as a buyer, and what does this mean for you as a seller?

Let’s start by reviewing Q3 and how it played out:

• Buyers appeared more cautious with discretionary purchases. Whether due to economic uncertainty, the middle of the flying season, or simply increasing operating costs, the data suggests that fewer buyers were actively searching for aircraft.
• Supply outpaced demand, giving buyers more choices, and by proxy, more leverage with “toy” airplanes. 
• Well-priced airplanes continued to move: make no mistake about it, airplanes still follow the efficient market hypothesis. It’s not all doom and gloom: experimental aircraft were still finding homes when buyers and sellers were able to agree upon a price for these machines. 

What does this mean for Q4? 

• The volume of deals will increase, but don’t confuse that with rising prices. Buyers and sellers will both be entering the market, so expect a greater quantity of listings, but buyers will match that, continuing to display an efficient market. 
• Keep in mind that, for experimental and backcountry aircraft, the flying season will be wrapped up for many owners by the middle of the quarter. As a result, some sellers may be less motivated to transact while they wait for the next flying season to begin to move their aircraft.
• Well-priced airplanes have always and will always move. It is hard to stress this element enough: sellers need to meet the buyer pool where it is if they’re serious about getting deals done.

To-Dos:

• Get your annuals scheduled! The winter is an ideal time for these airplanes to go through their maintenance cycles. That said, shops are busy, so stay ahead of things and don’t let your airplane get into an unairworthy condition
• Call Clay at Aerista to see what your airplane is worth!

Blue Skies,

Clay Simmons

Sales Associate

CubCrafters Specialist