GAMA has published its Second Quarter 2024 General Aviation Aircraft Shipment and Billing Report. The general aviation aircraft manufacturing industry's results for the first six months of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, show increased deliveries across the piston aircraft, business jet and piston helicopter segments along with an increase in the overall value of aircraft shipments.

“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. Our constraints continue to be ongoing supply chain and workforce recapitalisation 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. 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,” says president and CEO Pete Bunce.

Aircraft shipments through the second quarter of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, saw piston aircraft increase 7.3 per cent with 761 units, turboprops decrease 3.4 per cent with 280 units and business jets increase 8.8 per cent to 322 units. The value of aircraft deliveries through the second quarter of 2024 was $11.3 billion, an increase of 24.2 per cent.

Helicopter shipments through the second quarter of 2024, when compared to the same period in 2023, saw piston helicopter deliveries increase 2.7 per cent with 115 units and turbine helicopter deliveries decrease 7.7 per cent with 313 units. The value of helicopter deliveries was $1.7 billion.