The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has published its 2018 third quarter aircraft shipments and billings report. According to its figures, the overall delivery of aircraft and rotorcraft increased in the first nine months compared to the same period in 2017, but with some mixed performance within the types. Total billings compared to the same period in 2017 decreased.

“This is one of those few times since the great recession that we have seen all segments up in shipment numbers,” says president and CEO Pete Bunce. “While there remain some soft spots in a few segments, including business jet deliveries and impacts being felt from global trade disputes, I'm optimistic about our industry's performance in 2019 given continuing healthy demand for tax expensing, stabilisation of the used market and the number of new products being introduced to the marketplace.”

During the first nine months of the year turbine rotorcraft shipments increased by 8.3 per cent to 510 unit deliveries while piston airplane deliveries increased by 8.3 per cent to 784 units. Shipments of turboprops improved by 5.6 per cent from 374 to 395 aircraft and business jet shipments grew by three per cent from 433 to 446 deliveries.