The pilot shortage is making itself felt in rising orders for new trainers, GAMA reported on Monday, in its shipments and billings report for the second quarter. Overall, the quarter’s results are mixed, said GAMA President Pete Bunce, but demand for training aircraft is driving up sales in both the piston and rotorcraft segments. Piston airplane deliveries were up 6.4 percent compared to the same time last year, with turboprop numbers up by 9.7 percent. Piston rotorcraft did even better, with deliveries so far this year up by 19 percent. Turbine rotorcraft deliveries rose by 2 percent, and business jet sales were flat.
“We hope the continued interest in training aircraft as well as in new, safety-enhancing products and technology our member companies are bringing to the market will continue to drive increases in future quarters,” said Bunce, “and drive increases in people joining the industry’s workforce.” Year to date, GAMA said, the industry has delivered 1,054 airplanes and 494 helicopters, worth a total of more than $10 billion. Bunce noted that Boeing’s 2018 Pilot and Technician Outlook reports the demand for pilots, technicians and other aviation industry professionals is at “an all-time high.”
