Indiana’s business aviation market doesn’t look like anyone else’s. Based on the current in-state fleet, 391 turboprops and business jets call Indiana home, and the numbers behind that fleet tell a story of a young, owner-driven market anchored by two big hubs and a long tail of smaller airports.
Here’s a look at the Indiana business aviation market by the numbers, the latest in a series breaking down what’s actually flying in each state.
A MODERN, OWNER-HEAVY FLEET
Indiana’s fleet skews newer than its age range suggests. The average manufacture year for all 391 in-operation aircraft is 2006, with a median of 2007. Roughly 31 percent of the fleet (122 aircraft) was built in 2015 or later, and 66 aircraft (17 percent) date to 2020 or newer. At the other end, 56 aircraft (14 percent) were built before 1990, so older equipment is still earning its keep.
Ownership is weighted heavily toward direct ownership:
- Wholly owned: 378 aircraft (96.7 percent)
- Shared ownership: 13 aircraft (3.3 percent)
That owner-heavy split fits a state where most aircraft serve the companies and individuals who bought them.
WHERE THE FLEET LIVES
Indiana’s business aircraft are based at 41 different airports, but the market clusters around a handful of fields:
- Gary Chicago International Airport: 47 aircraft
- Indianapolis International Airport: 38 aircraft
- Indianapolis Executive Airport: 36 aircraft
- Clark County Airport: 34 aircraft
- Indianapolis Regional Airport: 27 aircraft
- Ft. Wayne International Airport: 22 aircraft
- Elkhart Municipal Airport: 16 aircraft
- Goshen Municipal Airport: 12 aircraft
- Evansville Regional Airport: 12 aircraft
- Monroe County Municipal Airport: 11 aircraft
The top two airports, Gary Chicago and Indianapolis International, account for about 22 percent of the statewide fleet, and the top ten fields together hold roughly 65 percent. The four airports with Indianapolis in their names hold another 109 aircraft between them, so the capital region is a bigger hub than any single airport suggests.
WHAT INDIANA FLIES
Citation is the clear leader by manufacturer, with 107 aircraft statewide, roughly three times the next closest maker. Gulfstream (36), King Air (27), Falcon (26) and Challenger (24) round out the top five.
By specific model, the list is a genuine mix of personal jets, midsize jets and large-cabin equipment:
- Cirrus Vision SF50 G2+: 11
- Citation Excel: 10
- Embraer Phenom 300: 9
- Gulfstream G280: 9
- Piper Meridian: 9
- Premier IA: 9
- Gulfstream G450: 8
- Pilatus PC-12 NG: 8
A cluster of models, including the Challenger 3500, Citation Bravo, Citation CJ3, Falcon 2000 and Eclipse EA500, sit tied at seven aircraft apiece. In all, 148 distinct models appear across the fleet, so no single model dominates. At the top end, the state is home to a Boeing BBJ based at Gary Chicago and an Airbus ACJ TwoTwenty based at Indianapolis International.
WHAT’S ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW
Of the 391 aircraft based in Indiana, 26 are currently listed for sale or lease, or about 7 percent of the fleet. Twelve carry a published asking price, 13 are listed as “inquire,” and one is lease only.
The listings span the full range of the market:
- Gulfstream G450: 2 for sale
- Citation Bravo: 2 for sale
- Seven single-engine turboprops, including TBM-700B, TBM-910 and TBM-940 models, the Piper M600 SLS and M700 Fury, a Malibu JetPROP and an Epic E1000 AX
- Large-cabin and long-range jets, including a 2016 Challenger 650 priced at $18,995k and a 2018 Gulfstream G550
Published asking prices run from $875k for a 1996 Piper Malibu JetPROP to $18,995k for the Challenger 650. Gary Chicago has the most listings of any airport (5), followed by Delaware County Airport (4).
THE OPERATORS BEHIND THE FLEET
A wide set of management companies and operators account for the aircraft actually flying in Indiana, more so than any single dominant player:
- Citation Management, LLC: 8 aircraft
- Aircraft Evaluation & Management, Inc.: 8 aircraft
- PrivateFlite Aviation: 6 aircraft
- Honaker Aviation, Inc.: 5 aircraft
- Executive Jet Management, Inc.: 5 aircraft
- Sweet Aviation, LLC: 5 aircraft
Nearly 300 distinct operators (301) appear across the fleet, which points to a market of owner-operators, independent management companies and regional charter shops rather than a handful of names controlling most of the activity. By usage, 333 aircraft (85 percent) fly business missions, 41 (10.5 percent) are in charter service, and the remainder fly medical, cargo, personal or dealer-inventory roles.
FLEET ACTIVITY
The average airframe in Indiana’s fleet with recorded flight-hour data has logged about 4,409 total hours, with a median of 3,679. Combined with a fleet that spans brand-new 2025 deliveries to 1960s-era airframes, that points to a hardworking fleet across the board.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Indiana’s business aviation market is compact, modern and genuinely diverse, from owner-flown turboprops to large-cabin and long-range jets. Gary Chicago and the Indianapolis airports anchor the market, but with 41 base airports and about 300 operators, this isn’t a market defined by one hub or one manufacturer. For owners and buyers trying to understand where they fit, or brokers trying to figure out where the next deal is likely to come from, the fleet data tells a clear story: Indiana is a deep, diversified market with room for nearly every segment of business aviation.
Contact Holstein Aviation to talk through where your aircraft fits into the Indiana market, whether you’re buying, selling, or reevaluating how it’s managed. With a jet brokerage team that understands the market, you can make your next move with confidence.
