Another strong year for aircraft makers
GAMA reports increases in nearly all segments
Sales of general aviation aircraft increased overall during 2024, with shipments topping 4,000 units for the second year in a row and total billing totaling more than $30 billion for the first time in a decade, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s state of the industry report.
Piston airplane shipments totaled 1,772, up 4.2 percent from the previous year while business jet shipments increased 4.7 percent to 764 units. And turboprops fell 1.9 percent to 626 units. The total value of airplanes delivered for 2024 rose just over 14 percent to $26.7 billion.
Helicopter shipments increased slightly in all segments with piston helicopters totaling 210 units compared with 209 in 2023, turbines shipping 746 units compared with 743 in 2023, and total helicopters shipped rising to 956 from 952.
“This strong performance provides great momentum into 2025, but it is essential that policymakers and regulators on both sides of the Atlantic recognize that for continued growth, they must work with industry on policy issues such as taxes, trade, regulations and supply chain,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA president and CEO.
“General aviation is at the forefront of advancing technology that makes flying safer and more sustainable, while providing efficient and reliable global economic connectivity, and air accessibility to rural and small communities that lack commercial airline services. It would be a travesty to see any of this progress halted due to policy decisions that could have unintended consequences for an industry that contributes so much,” Bunce added.
Other highlights from the GAMA report include CubCrafters, which posted the largest percentage increases in shipments (26 percent) and billing (29 percent) of any piston airplane manufacturer, delivering 30 or more aircraft for the year. CubCrafters shipped 87 aircraft in 2024, with just under $38 million billed.
Icon Aircraft appears to have ceased A5 deliveries not long after a bankruptcy court approved the company's sale to new owners based in China.
Piper Aircraft enjoyed a big lift from its flagship M700 Fury, with 46 of those delivered in its first year in service. Piper's overall shipments increased 18.8 percent to 291 aircraft, and billing increased by 21.5 percent to $410.4 million.
Textron Aviation, on the other hand, slipped nearly 10 percent in aircraft shipments and billing, with 559 aircraft delivered for the year, worth $3.28 billion. Textron Aviation's piston aircraft sales accounted for 281 of the company's 2024 total, down from 297 in 2023.
