GA manufacturing saw ups and downs in the past year with most of the positive numbers coming from piston airplanes, followed by business jets, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said Wednesday in its annual review. Airplane shipments rose overall in 2014 from the prior year, although turboprops and the overall rotorcraft sector saw declines. Total GA airplane shipments worldwide rose 4.3 percent to 2,454 units in 2014, while billings increased to $24.5 billion, up 4.5 percent from 2013. This marks the second-largest sales value recorded after 2008, when billings were $24.8 billion, GAMA said. Shipments of piston-engine airplanes led the categories with an increase of 9.6 percent in 2014. U.S.-made single-engine pistons totaled 716 last year, with 72 multi-engine pistons. Business jets saw a 6.5 percent rise to 722 shipments. On the downside, turboprop shipments fell by 6.5 percent to 603 units and the rotorcraft sector suffered double-digit drops in 2014. Piston rotorcraft shipments fell 31.3 percent and turbines 22.4 percent after reporting increases for 2013.
GAMA, as it did a year ago, said it will continue to work towards regulatory reforms, a key to the industry’s recovery.“The mixed results among segments indicate that the general aviation manufacturing industry is still facing headwinds given the tepid U.S. economic recovery and the political and economic uncertainties in Europe,” GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. “The 2014 year-end numbers make crystal clear the need for GAMA’s priorities in 2015 — specifically, reform that facilitates the introduction of new safety-enhancing products to market, reduces the inconsistent application of regulations, and strengthens the global engagement and cooperation among aviation authorities. We will continue to press forward on these issues, especially as the FAA reauthorization moves forward this year in the U.S. Congress and major general aviation regulatory change takes shape in Europe.”
