The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has released the 2023 General Aviation Aircraft Shipments and Billings Report. Overall, when compared to 2022, all aircraft segments saw increases in shipments and preliminary aircraft deliveries were valued at $27.8 billion, an increase of 3.6 per cent.

“For the first time in more than a decade, the general aviation manufacturing industry has eclipsed 4,000 aircraft delivered,” says president and CEO Pete Bunce. “In addition to this strong showing, there are robust and growing order backlogs for all segments of aircraft. This is a testament to the resilience of our industry and the integral role that general and business aviation plays in our communities. While the deliveries from 2023 are very encouraging, our industry faces headwinds from ongoing supply chain issues, workforce shortages, uncertainty and unpredictability from global regulators, and short-sighted efforts aimed at curbing business and general aviation, particularly in Europe. As civil aviation’s innovation incubator, our entire GA industry is focused on new aircraft and technologies that will lead the way in safety and sustainability for the entire aviation sector. This progress is dependent on having effective, predictable and accountable regulatory processes, and a supportive business environment. Therefore, it is crucial that the US Congress passes a long-term FAA reauthorisation bill, a fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill for the FAA and a tax measure, which is pending, that promotes research and development.

“Likewise, non-US global regulatory agencies must receive the proper budgetary support from their governments to carry out current and future activities. If political entities and regulatory bodies can deliver on their responsibilities, what our industry can accomplish in 2024 and beyond will be extraordinary.”

Aircraft shipments in 2023, when compared to 2022, saw piston aircraft deliveries increase 11.8 per cent from the same reporting companies, with 1,682 units; turboprop aircraft deliveries increase 9.6 per cent, with 638 units; and business jet deliveries increase 2.5 per cent, with 730 units. The value of aircraft deliveries for 2023 was $23.4 billion, an increase of approximately 2.2 per cent.

Piston helicopter deliveries for 2023, when compared to 2022, saw an increase of 7.7 per cent, with 209 units; and preliminary civil-commercial turbine helicopter increase 10.4 per cent, with 753 units. The preliminary value of helicopter deliveries for 2023 was $4.4 billion, an increase of approximately 11.2 per cent.

The International Aircraft Dealers Association is heartened by the higher number of new aircraft deliveries in 2023.

Chair Phil Winters, vice president of Western Aircraft, says: “The across-the-board increase in deliveries, especially in the turboprop and private jet categories, is stimulating the pre-owned business aircraft marketplace where our dealers were very active in 2023. Nearly every owner that buys a new business aircraft has one to sell."

"Increasing new aircraft deliveries sustain a vibrant market for pre-owned business aircraft, and we acknowledge positive activity by the eight new aircraft manufacturers whose resale operations are part of our organisation," adds IADA executive director Wayne Starling. “We embrace the new aircraft that are being pumped into our industry fleets as the entire marketplace makes strides to balance supply and demand.”

Starling notes that IADA’s dealers consist of the top 17 per cent of the world’s experts who handle 50 per cent of used business aircraft sales. IADA-accredited dealers buy and sell more aircraft by dollar volume than the rest of the world’s dealers combined.

IADA supports recent GAMA initiatives including efforts to advance reauthorisation of the FAA and of GAMA’s work to boost the use of SAF.