The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released its third-quarter delivery numbers last month, and while shipments of both business jets and turboprops this year have set records, the organization is warning 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.”
Deliveries of Bizjets and Turboprops Remain Strong
During the first three quarters, 990 business jets were delivered, compared with 761 in the same period last year, an increase of more than 30 percent. Leading the increase was troubled VLJ manufacturer Eclipse, which improved its output by 223 percent over the previous year’s total. Although the company delivered 155 EA-500s during the first three quarters, speculation now swirls over the future of the Albuquerque-based airframer (see 'Eclipse struggles to stay aloft in turbulent skies').
