12 May 2010
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has reported that in the first quarter of 2010, worldwide General Aviation aeroplane deliveries totaled 390 units, a 15% drop from the same period last year. While this doesn’t sound great, at least it is an improvement over the dramatic decline experienced in first quarter 2009 deliveries as compared to first quarter 2008.
Total industry billings grew 7.1% in the first three months of the year to $4.64 billion due to international deliveries of large cabin, long-range aeroplane where customers rely less on third party financing than the remainder of the industry. First quarter billings in 2010 are still 12.6% below this same period in 2008.
“These numbers are being released on the heels of Europe’s premier business aviation show, the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition, where many of our manufacturers noted that the market seems to be stabilizing,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “Reported flight activity from the FAA and EUROCONTROL is on an upward trend and the used aircraft inventory is slowly decreasing. However, these first quarter figures reveal that our industry is far from
a recovery.”
The piston aeroplane segment was down 7.3% in the first quarter, with 166 units delivered as compared to 179 aeroplanes in the first three months of 2009. The turboprop segment delivered 60 units, down from 89 units during the same period in 2009 for a 32.6% decrease. Business jet shipments fell 14.1% in the first quarter with 164 aeroplanes delivered, as compared to 191 business jets in the first quarter of 2009.
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