AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019 - 44

PILOT BRIEFING
INDUSTRY NEWS

|
CIRRUS SR22

CESSNA CITATION LATITUDE

Piston, business jet aircraft shipments growing
Slowing noted for turboprop, rotorcraft segments
B Y D AV I D T U L I S

44 | AOPA PILOT October 2019

MIKE FIZER

PISTON AIRCRAFT and business jet deliveries show gains is morphing into additional new models known as the Piper Pilot 100 and Pilot
over 2018, while rotorcraft deliveries continued a down- 100i-with accompanying reduced prices of $259,000 and $285,000-and is
ward trend, according to the latest General Aviation marketed to colleges, flight schools, and other training facilities.
Manufacturers Association (GAMA) report.
Market-leading Cirrus Aircraft delivered 172 piston aircraft and appears to
The first six months of 2019 saw the piston-engine be on track to equal the Minnesota company's 2018 figure of 380 single-engine
aircraft fleet notch 567 deliveries, an increase of 15.2 piston aircraft. Diamond Aircraft Industries' 48 DA40 singles delivered so far
percent over 2018's second quarter shipment figures, already surpassed the Austria-based manufacturer's 2018 total of 45 units delivthe report noted. The increase appears to come on the ered. Textron Aviation delivered 52 Cessna 172 Skyhawk SPs in 2019 on the
heels of a strong training market with commitments heels of a deal with ATP Flight Schools for 100 of the models through 2023.
from colleges, flight schools, and other training proThe Aircraft Electronics Association also announced a 14-percent increase
grams to fill the career pilot ranks in the face of an in sales over the first six months of 2018, marking "an increase in year-over-year
industrywide workforce shortage.
sales for 10 straight quarters," said association President and CEO Mike Adamson.
On the flip side, rotorcraft and turboprop airplane
The report noted that 52.7 percent of the more than $1.5 billion in 2019 middeliveries slowed during the first six months of 2019. year sales came from the retrofit avionics market as aircraft owners upgraded their
Piston helicopter shipments slipped from 149 to 110 units instrument panels with the latest digital technology and ADS-B before the January
and turbine-powered helicopter deliveries dropped by 2, 2020 deadline. The sales figures include all business and GA electronics sales
more than 10 percent over the previous midyear mark. and take into account "all component and accessories in cockpit/cabin/software
The value of airplane deliveries totaled $9
upgrades/portables/certified and noncertified
billion, an increase of about 13 percent.
aircraft electronics; all hardware (tip to tail);
Pete Bunce, GAMA president and CEO,
batteries; and chargeable product upgrades
$9 billion
Total airplane billings through
said the mixed results "should not obscure
from the participating manufacturers."
second quarter 2019.
the outlook for a bright future for general
Airframe manufacturers accounted for
aviation" because additional aircraft modthe remainder of avionics sales during new
348
Number of single-engine piston
els "are expected to enter into service by
installations on their production lines.
airplanes delivered in the first half
the end of 2019." Notably, Piper Aircraft's
of 2019.
stripped-down $369,000 PA-28 Archer TX
EMAIL david.tulis@aopa.org
AOPA Pilot Magazine - October 2019

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