The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released a “mixed report” today on aircraft shipments and billings for the first quarter of 2024. Sales of piston fixed-wing aircraft were essentially flat compared with Q1 2023, with 292 delivered vs. 290 for last year. Piston helicopters likewise showed little change.
Deliveries of turbine helicopters and turboprop airplanes dipped—by 14.4% and 7.7% respectively. But business jets led the pack with an 8.5% uptick to 127 deliveries compared with 117 for the first three months of last year. That undoubtedly contributed to the overall ramp up in airplane billings of 7.2% hitting the $4.0 billion milestone from $3.7 billion in 2023.
GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said, “Our industry continues to be challenged by significant supply chain issues across the board that range from raw materials, through forgings and castings, to basic parts availability. These challenges are most acute in our engine sector. Workforce availability is yet another area that is constraining production.
“However, we are encouraged to see deliveries of business jets continue to increase and remain optimistic that this trend will include other aircraft segments as the year progresses. It is also encouraging for the industry to have a long-term reauthorization of the FAA passed into law and the new leadership atop both the FAA and EASA working to strengthen the effectiveness of their bilateral relations and work.”
