NAFA member Adam Hahn, CEO and Founder of Arcadia Jets, shares their latest article about aircraft appraisal versus valuation.
An aircraft appraisal is a formal, written opinion of value prepared by a credentialed appraiser for a lender, the IRS, a court, an insurer or an estate. A market valuation is a broker’s working estimate of what the aircraft will actually sell for right now. Both put a number on the same airframe, but they answer different questions, follow different rules and get used in different rooms. If you are financing, donating, insuring, dividing or inheriting an aircraft, you probably need an aircraft appraisal. If you are deciding whether, when or at what price to buy or sell, you need a market valuation.
Owners often ask for one when they really need the other, and the mix-up costs time. Below we explain what each document is, who prepares it, when each one is required, and how to get the most out of both.
This article was originally published by Arcadia Jets on October 6, 2026.