The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released its Second Quarter Shipping and Billing Report today. It reveals year-over-year increases for piston, business jet and piston helicopter segments, along with an increase in the overall value of shipments over the same time period for last year.
Deliveries of piston aircraft totaled 761 units, an increase of 7.3% over Q2 of 2023, according to GAMA. Bizjet deliveries were up 8.8% to 322 units, and the value of all airplane deliveries through the second quarter was up 24.2% to $11.3 billion. Among the fixed-wing segment, only turboprops lagged with a decrease in shippings of 3.4% to 280 units.
Piston helicopters increased 2.7% to 115 units, while turbine rotorcraft sagged to 313 units, a decrease of 7.7% from 2023. Overall value of helicopter deliveries was $1.7 billion.
GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said, “Through the first half of 2024, we continue to see robust demand for new aircraft, as indicated by the impressive backlogs and plans for facility expansion by many of our OEMs.” He cited as constraints ongoing supply chain and workforce recapitalization issues, “which are routinely compounded by unacceptable turn times in terms of responsiveness and lack of decision making by the FAA specialists on such things as issue papers, certification plans and regular correspondence.”
Bunce continued, “Our industry is the incubator of safety enhancing and aviation sustainability technology, which in turn serves as a catalyst for economic growth and exemplary employment for millions around the globe. It is vital that our regulators continue to improve effectiveness and efficiency of certification and validation processes, appropriately apply the safety continuum across the spectrum of general aviation products and respond to applicants in a timely manner. For the continued vitality of our industry and to facilitate all the great innovations that are taking place, it is imperative that we tackle these ongoing challenges.”
