The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released its third-quarter delivery numbers today, and while both business jets and turboprops have thus far posted record numbers of units shipped this year, the organization warns of rough skies ahead. “Notwithstanding these positive third-quarter numbers for turbine-powered aircraft deliveries, our industry is experiencing difficulties due to the weakness of the global economy,” said GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “Reacting to the lead-and-lag nature of this economic slowdown, several companies have announced layoffs and are working aggressively to retain orders and encourage new ones. Even as the price of fuel has declined from the debilitating high levels we saw this past summer, the uncertainty of financial markets worldwide is negatively impacting the entire aviation industry,” he said. During the first three quarters of this year, 990 business jets were delivered compared with 761 for the corresponding period last year, for an increase of more than 30 percent. Turboprops also experienced an increase of nearly 14 percent, up 41 aircraft to a total of 341 delivered this year. Piston-powered aircraft continued their slide, with their lowest number of deliveries since 2004. So far this year, the segment saw 1,646 delivered, versus 1,857 for the first three quarters of last year.