The latest report from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association has revealed that business jet and piston airplane deliveries have increased for the first nine months of 2019 compared to last year, whereas the number of turboprops and rotorcraft deliveries has declined.
“The first nine months of 2019 show positive results for business jets and piston airplanes,“ said the president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), Pete Bunce. “Turboprops and rotorcraft, however, continued to encounter headwinds.
“Despite these mixed results, our manufacturers continue their investments in advanced factory machinery, design software, and associated processes that keep product development cycles robust and in-turn bring advances in fuel efficiency, capability, and safety to the global fleet.”
Business jet deliveries rose by 15.4% in the first nine months of 2019 from 447 in 2018 to 516 in 2019. Piston airplane deliveries also experienced double-digit growth of 12.3% from 781 units in 2018 to 877 in 2019. The number of turboprop deliveries declined from 395 to 349 airplanes.
The number of rotorcraft delivered during the first nine months of 2019 was down compared to 2018. In the first nine months of the year, 434 turbine powered rotorcraft were delivered and 136 piston engine powered rotorcraft. The value of rotorcraft shipments was US$2.2 billion compared to US$2.7 billion, a 17.3% reduction.