Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
US MANUFACTURERS delivered 16.5% more general-aviation (GA) aircraft in the first half of 1997, compared with the same period of 1996. Billings were up by 60% to almost $2 billion for the first six months, says the US General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), citing a healthy increase in business-jet sales and a strong market for piston-powered aircraft.
GAMA members delivered 586 aircraft in the first half of 1997 - 345 piston-powered aircraft (up by 26.4%), 99 turboprops (down by 26.7%) and 142 jet-powered aircraft (up by 49.5%). Cessna delivered the first 93 aircraft from its restarted piston-single line in the first six months, while New Piper Aircraft's output rose to 104 piston singles and twins. Gulfstream delivered ten GIV-SP and 13 GV business jets worth almost $773 million in the first six months, up from 11 GIV-SPs in the first half of 1996. Cessna delivered 74 Citation-series corporate jets, from 50, while Raytheon shipped 76 twin-turbine business aircraft - 53 King Air turboprops (from 43) and 23 Beechjet and Hawker business jets (from 13).
Source: Flight International
