The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) on August 12 published a mid-year industry update with the release of preliminary second quarter 2019 aircraft shipment and billings data. Piston and business jet deliveries increased through the first six months of 2019 compared to the same time period in 2018, while turboprop airplane and rotorcraft shipments were lower.
The association noted second quarter shipment data was not available from three airplane manufacturers at the time of publication and that it will update the report when the data has been released.
“While the year-to-date aircraft shipments are mixed, this should not obscure the outlook for a bright future for general aviation,” said Pete Bunce, president & CEO, GAMA. “Our mid-year report shows new aircraft reaching entry into service milestones with additional models expected to enter into service before the end of 2019.”
Bunce continued to explain GAMA members remain focused on safety enhancements with the fast-approaching global mandates for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and datalink communications. “Additionally, our industry’s continued emphasis on developing airframes, engines, and avionics that improve fuel efficiency, our aggressive pursuit of hybrid and electrically propelled air vehicles, and promotion of the build out of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel infrastructure, should make us all proud of our collective commitment to environmental sustainability,” he said.
The piston market continued to lead the increase in deliveries at 567 units, according to GAMA’s new data, up 15.2 per cent from the same period in 2018. Business jet shipments increased by 12.5 per cent in the first six months of 2019 to 316 airplanes delivered. Turboprop airplanes, however, declined in deliveries from 260 to 231 units from the same reporting companies. The value of airplane deliveries through the first six months of 2019 was US$9.0 billion, an increase of approximately 12.9 per cent.
Rotorcraft deliveries slowed in the first six months of 2019, according to GAMA. Piston rotorcraft shipments declined from 149 units to 110 units. The industry delivered 299 turbine rotorcraft, a reduction by 11.3 per cent compared to 2018. The value of rotorcraft shipments was US$1.5 billion, a decline of approximately 13.1 per cent.
