The US Federal Aviation Administration is predicting that between now and 2008, the active general-aviation (GA) fleet will increase by over 15,000 aircraft (0.7%) annually, while the number of hours flown is projected to increase by 1% annually. Business-aircraft sales will surpass those of piston-engined recreational aircraft. There were an estimated 9,107 turbine-powered GA aircraft in the fleet in 1996, about 6% of the total fixed-wing GA fleet (154,562).The piston-engined fleet, now totalling 145,454 aircraft, is projected to increase marginally this year, then to grow by almost 1,000 aircraft annually over the next 11 years to 2008.
Source: Flight International
