WASHINGTON: General aviation airplane shipments fell slightly last year, from 2,376 aircraft delivered in 2014 to 2,267 in 2015, representing a slow-down in demand at a time when new piston, turboprop and jet models are poised to hit the market.
According to the data released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association this week, shipments of piston-engine airplanes fell for the first time since 2010, by 6.5 percent, from 1,129 delivered in 2014 to 1,056 in 2015. Turboprop shipments also saw a decline, from 603 in 2014 to 557 in 2015.
Business jet shipments were relatively flat, up 1.6 percent, from 644 in 2014 to 654 in 2015. While the numbers appear to show a net decline for the general aviation industry, the cool down is almost certainly attributable in part to buyers who are waiting for new models to hit the market.
The HondaJet is a prime example of a new product that should should help boost GAMA delivery numbers in the years to come, along with the Cirrus Jet, a new mystery single-engine turboprop in the works at Cessna, the Pilatus PC-24, Gulfstream G500 and G600 and many more. Once all these new models enter the market, it’s entirely possible we may look back on 2016 as the start of the next market boom.
