Aircraft Appraisal Coverage & Methodology

OTAS provides independent aircraft appraisal services for general aviation and business aviation aircraft, with valuation reports prepared for lender, legal, and fiduciary reliance.

Our appraisal practice is structured around intended use, intended user, and scope of work, with all assignments developed in compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and supported by PAAO analytical methodology.

This page describes our appraisal coverage, valuation methodology, and the organization of our services.

Aircraft appraisal assignments are most effectively understood when organized by intended use, rather than by aircraft type alone. Banks, attorneys, fiduciaries, and aircraft owners rely on appraisals for different purposes, each with distinct reporting and documentation requirements.

Our primary appraisal use cases include:

Primary Use Cases

• Bank Financing Appraisals
• Estate, Trust, Divorce & Litigation Appraisals
• IRS-Compliant Donation Appraisals

Each appraisal assignment clearly identifies its intended use and intended users to ensure the valuation conclusion is appropriate, defensible, and suitable for reliance.

Aircraft value is influenced by market behavior, liquidity, and risk factors that vary by aircraft category and condition. Certain valuation issues require specific analysis beyond baseline pricing.

Valuation Risk Topics

• Damage History & Diminution of Value

When present, damage history is evaluated based on the nature of the event, the quality of repairs, the completeness of documentation, and the observed market reaction. Adjustments are supported by market evidence rather than generalized assumptions.

Our appraisal coverage includes the following aircraft categories:

• High-performance single-engine piston aircraft
• High-performance multi-engine piston aircraft
• Turboprop aircraft
• Light, mid-size, and large-cabin business jets

Our practice is limited to general aviation and business aviation aircraft. We do not provide appraisal services for commercial airliners or airline fleet assets.

All appraisal assignments are developed in compliance with USPAP, with transparent documentation of:

• Scope of work
• Effective date
• Market conditions
• Data sources and market evidence
• Extraordinary assumptions or hypothetical conditions, when applicable

Valuation conclusions are based on observed market behavior, current transaction data, and aircraft-specific characteristics rather than automated pricing models or unsupported benchmarks.

While our appraisal methodology is applied consistently, geographic considerations such as inspection logistics, regional market conditions, and aircraft availability are addressed when relevant to the assignment.

Local inspection capability and regional familiarity are often critical for bank and legal reliance, particularly when the lender or fiduciary is located outside the region of the subject aircraft.

This page describes appraisal coverage and methodology.
Appraisal services organized by intended use are addressed on the following pages:

• Bank Financing Appraisals
• Estate, Trust, Divorce & Litigation Appraisals
• IRS-Compliant Donation Appraisals

Geographic appraisal availability is addressed under Service Areas.

Each appraisal assignment is developed independently, with valuation conclusions supported by documented market evidence and professional judgment appropriate to the intended use of the appraisal.