The latest report from General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) shows that there were 6.1% more aircraft deliveries and 10.4% more rotorcraft shipments in the first nine months of 2018 than during the same period of 2017. However, total billings decreased by 3.1% in the aircraft segment and 2.2% for rotorcraft.
“This is one of those few times since the great recession that we have seen all segments up in shipment numbers,” said Pete Bunce, president and CEO at GAMA.
“While there remain some soft spots in a few segments, including business jet deliveries and impacts being felt from global trade disputes, I’m optimistic about our industry’s performance in 2019 given continuing healthy demand for tax expensing, stabilization of the used market, and the number of new products being introduced to the marketplace.”
Piston rotorcraft deliveries increased by 15.8% to 220 units, while turbine rotorcraft shipments increased by 8.3% to 510 unit deliveries. Piston aircraft deliveries increased by 8.3% to 784 units. Shipments of turboprops improved by 5.6% from 374 to 395 aircraft. Business jet shipments increased from 433 to 446 deliveries. The total value of airplane billings fell from US$13.1bn to US$12.7bn.
