Pistons Hold Steady, Turboprops Gain, But Manufacturing Falls Overall For 2016

On February 22, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association released the 2016 year-end aircraft shipment and billings numbers at its Annual Industry Review press conference. The aviation manufacturing industry has certainly had its ups and downs over the last decade. So how did things go last year?

Courtesy of Cirrus

"The 2016 year-end results were disappointing overall, although we did see some blue sky in the turboprop sector," GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce said. Overall, worldwide airplane shipments dropped 3.9% from 2015. Total billings fell from $24.1 billion in 2015 to $20.7 billion, a 14.1% decrease. The business jet sector took the biggest hit, delivering just 661 aircraft in 2016 after 718 the previous year (-7.9%). Piston aircraft deliveries dropped by 4.9%. Turboprops, on the other hand, saw a 3.4% growth in 2016.

GAMA has hopes for a better 2017, citing the new Part 23 revision as an opportunity for future aircraft manufacturing growth. "However," Bunce continued, "to enable and sustain that growth, policymakers and regulators must continue to work with industry to streamline regulatory processes and facilitate the global flow of aviation products."

Learn more at GAMA.