GA Manufacturers Report Rise in Q2 Aircraft Deliveries

Business jet and piston shipments lead growth while helicopter totals ease.

Matt Ryan

Tuesday, September 09, 2025 at 04:16 PM ET

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Matt Ryan

[Credit: Textron]

Key Takeaways:

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association's (GAMA) Q2 report for the first half of 2025 indicates strong growth in general aviation, with piston airplane shipments up 5.1% and business jet deliveries increasing 9.9%.
Total airplane delivery values rose by nearly 10 percent to $12.3 billion, while turboprop shipments and helicopter unit deliveries saw slight declines, despite a more than 20 percent increase in the value of civil-commercial helicopter deliveries.
These positive trends align with broader market conditions, including a 3.1 percent rise in business aviation flight operations and an 8.4 percent increase in OEM backlogs, reaching $55.5 billion.

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The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) published its Q2 Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report for the year today. Its report shows gains in both piston and business jet deliveries globally.

Through the first half of the year, piston airplane shipments rose 5.1 percent to 810 units, while business jet deliveries increased 9.9 percent to 354. Airplane delivery values reached nearly $12.3 billion, up nearly 10 percent from the same period in 2024. Turboprop shipments declined 4.3 percent to 268 units. Helicopter shipments fell slightly, with piston deliveries down by one unit at 106 and turbine deliveries down 2.3 percent at 302. The value of civil-commercial helicopter deliveries, however, increased more than 20 percent to $2 billion.

Cirrus and Textron led in airplane deliveries; Cirrus reported 350 aircraft year-to-date while Textron reported 300. Airbus Helicopters led rotorcraft deliveries with 132 units, followed by Robinson at 129 and Leonardo at 70.

The results track with broader market conditions. According to Q2 analysis for 2025 from Global Jet Capital, business aviation flight operations increased 3.1 percent year over year in the second quarter and OEM backlogs rose 8.4 percent to $55.5 billion. Transactions also posted gains, while aircraft availability remained stable at 7.3 percent of the fleet, slightly below long-term averages.