Written by Airplane shipments increased 4.7%, to 2,443 units in 2018, according to year-end results released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) today.
GAMA Chairman and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. President Mark Burns announced that globally, private airplane shipments increased 4.7%, to 2,443 units in 2018. Airplane billings increased 1.5%, from $20.2 billion to $20.6 billion. Worldwide rotorcraft shipments rose 5.4%, from 926 to 976 units. Rotorcraft billings decreased slightly, by 0.7%.
Notable from these numbers is piston airplane deliveries increased by 5.0%, to 1,139 units. Turboprop airplane shipments increased to 601 units. Business jet deliveries improved, from 677 to 703 units. There were 281 piston rotorcraft deliveries compared to 264 in 2017. Preliminary turbine rotorcraft delivery data shows a 5.0% increase, to 695 shipments.
2018 Deliveries By Aircraft Type
| Segment | 2017 | 2018 | Change |
| Piston Airplanes | 1,085 | 1,139 | 5.0% |
| Turboprops | 563 | 601 | 5.2% |
| Business Jets | 677 | 703 | 3.8% |
| Total Airplane Units | 2,325 | 2,443 | 4.7% |
| Total Airplane Billings | $20.2B | $20.6B | 1.5% |
“This is the first year since 2013 that we’ve seen all segments up in deliveries,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce. “New certifications over the last two years, especially in the lighter jet segments, as well as demand in North America are driving the business jet shipment increase. This is also the second consecutive year in which shipments of piston and turbine rotorcraft are up, driven by the introduction of new models to the market.”
“While impacts of the U.S. partial government shutdown are still being felt and assessed, we remain optimistic given recent type certifications and other certifications in the product queue that bode well for the large airplane segment to continue its strength,” continued Bunce. “Also encouraging is the demand for specific aircraft types we’re seeing in North America, the Asia-Pacific
2018 Deliveries By Manufacturer
| Make and Model | 2018 Totals |
| Airbus Corporate Jets 7 | |
| ACJ318 | 0 |
| ACJ319 | 0 |
| ACJ320 | 1 |
| ACJ321 | 0 |
| ACJ330 | 0 |
| Total Units | 1 |
| Total Billings7 | $91,000,000 |
| Air Tractor 4 | |
| AT-401B | 0 |
| AT-402A | 8 |
| AT-402B | 25 |
| AT-502A | 25 |
| AT-502B | 29 |
| AT-504 | 1 |
| AT-602 | 8 |
| AT-802 | 3 |
| AT-802A | 34 |
| AT-802AF | 5 |
| AT-802F | 3 |
| Total Units | 141 |
| Total Billings | $70,899,861 |
| American Champion Aircraft | |
| 7EC Champ | 0 |
| 7ECA Citabria Aurora | 2 |
| 7GCAA Citabria Adventure | 2 |
| 7GCBC Citabria Explorer | 1 |
| 8GCBC Scout | 5 |
| 8KCAB Super Decathlon | 3 |
| 8KCAB Xtreme Decathlon | 0 |
| Total Units | 13 |
| Total Billings | $2,826,200 |
| AVIC General | |
| Y5B | 4 |
| LE500 | 2 |
| A2C | 10 |
| Y12 Series | 0 |
| Total Units | 16 |
| Total Billings | $4,961,845 |
| Boeing Business Jets 7 | |
| BBJ | 2 |
| BBJ MAX 7 | 0 |
| BBJ MAX 8 | 2 |
| BBJ MAX 9 | 0 |
| B737-800 | 0 |
| B777-300ER | 2 |
| B787-8 | 0 |
| B787-9 | 0 |
| B747-8 | 0 |
| Total Units | 6 |
| Total Billings7 | $280,000,000 |
| Bombardier | |
| Learjet 70 / 75 | 12 |
| Challenger 350 | 60 |
| Challenger 650 | 23 |
| Global 5000 / 6000 | 41 |
| Global 7500 | 1 |
| CL850 / 870 / 890 | 0 |
| Total Units | 137 |
| Total Billings | $5,066,900,000 |
| Cirrus Aircraft | |
| SR20 | 65 |
| SR22 | 135 |
| SR22T | 180 |
| SF50 | 63 |
| Total Units | 443 |
| Total Billings | $437,351,781 |
| CubCrafters 6 | |
| CC11-100 Sport Cub S2 | 0 |
| CC11-160 Carbon Cub SS | 3 |
| CC18-180 Top Cub | 7 |
| CC19-180 XCub | 9 |
| Total Units | 19 |
| Total Billings | $4,762,710 |
| DAHER | |
| SOCATA TBM 910 | 29 |
| SOCATA TBM 930 | 21 |
| Total Units | 50 |
| Total Billings | $205,050,000 |
| Dassault Aviation 5 | |
| 2000S / 2000LXS / 900LX / 7X / 8X | 41 |
| Total Units | 41 |
| Total Billings | $1,975,000,000 |
| Diamond Aircraft 5 | |
| HK-36 | 0 |
| DA20 (All) | 3 |
| DA40 (All) | 45 |
| DA42 (All) | 50 |
| DA62 | 36 |
| Total Units | 134 |
| Total Billings | $97,744,400 |
| Discovery Aviation | |
| XL2 | 0 |
| Total Units | 0 |
| Total Billings | $0 |
| Embraer 5 | |
| Phenom 100 | 11 |
| Phenom 300 | 53 |
| Legacy 450 | 14 |
| Legacy 500 | 9 |
| Legacy 600 / 650 | 4 |
| Lineage 1000 / E190 Head of State | 0 |
| Shuttles (ERJs and E-Jets) | 0 |
| Total Units | 91 |
| Total Billings | $1,077,230,000 |
| Extra Aircraft | |
| EA300 | 24 |
| Total Units | 24 |
| Total Billings | $8,856,000 |
| Flight Design GmbH 6 | |
| ASTM CT Series | 43 |
| Total Units | 43 |
| Total Billings | $6,248,008 |
| Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. 5 | |
| Gulfstream 280 | 29 |
| Gulfstream 450 / 500 / 550 / 650 / 650ER | 92 |
| Total Units Total Billings | 121 |
| $6,782,750,000 | |
| Honda Aircraft Company | |
| HA-420 HondaJet | 37 |
| Total Units Total Billing | 37 |
| $183,050,000 | |
| ICON Aircraft | |
| A5 | 44 |
| Total Units | 44 |
| Total Billings | n/a |
| Mahindra Aerospace 5 | |
| Airvan 8 | 7 |
| Total Units | 7 |
| Total Billings | $6,711,978 |
| Mooney International Corp. | |
| M20U Ovation Ultra M20V Acclaim Ultra Total Units | 7 |
| Total Billings | 7 |
| 14 | |
| $10,684,300 | |
| ONE Aviation Corp. 5 | |
| Eclipse 550 | 0 |
| Total Units | 0 |
| Total Billings | $0 |
| Pacific Aerospace Ltd. | |
| PAC 750XL | 11 |
| Total Units | 11 |
| Total Billings | $22,550,000 |
| Piaggio Aerospace | |
| P.180 Avanti Evo | 4 |
| Total Units | 4 |
| Total Billings | $31,700,000 |
| Pilatus 13 | |
| PC-6 | 3 |
| PC-12 | 80 |
| PC-24 | 18 |
| Total Units | 101 |
| Total Billings | $575,627,000 |
| Piper Aircraft, Inc. | |
| PA-28-161 Warrior III | 0 |
| PA-28-181 Archer III | 107 |
| PA-28R-201 Arrow | 7 |
| PA-34-220T Seneca V | 2 |
| PA-44-180 Seminole | 37 |
| PA-46-350P M350 | 20 |
| PA-46-500TP M500 | 18 |
| PA-46-600TP M600 | 38 |
| Total Units | 229 |
| Total Billings | $262,616,612 |
| Pipistrel Aircraft | |
| Virus SW 121 | 22 |
| Total Units | 22 |
| Total Billings | n/a |
| Quest Aircraft Company | |
| Kodiak 100 | 23 |
| Total Units | 23 |
| Total Billings | $54,739,071 |
| TECNAM Aircraft 6 | |
| ASTM – LSA | 63 |
| P2002JF | 18 |
| P92JS | 3 |
| P2002JR | 0 |
| P2008JC | 35 |
| P2006T | 41 |
| P2010P Twenty Ten | 20 |
| Total Units | 180 |
| Total Billings | $51,028,000 |
| Textron Aviation 4, 5 | |
| Beechcraft Corporation | |
| Bonanza G36 | 15 |
| Baron G58 | 19 |
| King Air C90GTx | 12 |
| King Air 250 | 30 |
| King Air 350i / ER | 52 |
| Total Units | 128 |
| Total Billings (Beechcraft – Total) | |
| Cessna Aircraft Company | |
| CE-172S Skyhawk SP | 129 |
| CE-182T Skylane | 31 |
| CE-T206H Turbo Stationair | 32 |
| CE-240 TTx | 1 |
| CE-208 Caravan 675 | 13 |
| CE-208B Grand Caravan EX | 79 |
| CE-525 Citation M2 | 34 |
| CE-525B Citation CJ3+ | 37 |
| CE-525C Citation CJ4 | 29 |
| CE-560 Citation XLS+ | 21 |
| CE-680 Citation Sovereign+ | 6 |
| CE-680A Citation Latitude | 57 |
| CE-750 Citation X+ | 4 |
| Total Units | 473 |
| Total Billings (Cessna – Total) | |
| Total Billings (Combined) | $3,155,736,400 |
| Thrush Aircraft, Inc. | |
| S2R-T34 | 16 |
| S2RHG-T65 | 1 |
| S2R-T660 | 6 |
| S2R-G10 | 0 |
| S2R-H80 | 15 |
| Total Units | 38 |
| Total Billings | $36,365,436 |
| Viking Air Ltd. 5, 14 | |
| DHC-6 Series 400 Twin Otter | 9 |
| Total Units Total Billings | 9 |
| $58,500,000 | |
| WACO Aircraft Company | |
| 2T-1A-2 | 1 |
| YMF-5D | 5 |
| Total Units | 6 |
| Total Billings | $3,285,777 |
Source: General Aviation Manufacturers Association
Foot Notes:
- A shipment occurs when an aircraft is shipped from its production facility to a customer located anywhere in the world.
- Shipments may include an aircraft delivery to a fractional operator owned by the company or to an aircraft dealer.
- Aircraft are considered manufactured in the U.S. when produced under an FAA production approval and in Europe when produced under an EASA production approval.
- Other military and government aircraft shipments are not included in main shipment table totals, but listed separately.
- Company billings are not reported. GAMA estimates total billings using public information including BCA Purchase Planning Handbook 2018.
- AVIC General A2C, CubCrafters CC11, Diamond Aircraft HK36 Motor Glider, Flight Design GmbH ASTM CT Series, and TECNAM ASTM LSA models are included in civil make-model shipment total, but not summary tables. GAMA will further integrate CS-VLA and S-LSA aircraft into future shipment reports.
- Airbus and Boeing twin aisle shipments are identified in the report, but their values are not included in the calculation of billings.
- Dassault reports combined civil airplane deliveries twice a year in accordance with company financial reporting procedures.
- Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters report combined civil/commercial and military/government unit deliveries. Billings are estimated for civil/commercial models only.
- NHIndustries is wholly owned by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, and Fokker Aerostructures and provides the focal point for these companies for the NH90 programme. The deliveries of the NH90 are identified under the NHIndustries entry only.
- Leonardo Helicopters also delivered two T129 kits in Q1, six T129 kits and one AW139 kit in Q2, and three T129 kits in Q3.
- Leonardo Helicopters fourth quarter data is not available at the time of publication. Leonardo Helicopters will release year-end results in mid-March 2019. GAMA will update the online 2018 report then. GAMA excluded 2017 fourth quarter data for Leonardo in the comparison table.
- Two additional PC-24 have been shipped to a completion center for extended modification.
- Viking Air Ltd. Is a new addition to the shipment report in 2018.