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| Raytheon King Air C90GT service entry will boost turboprop shipments |
General aviation manufacturers have reported record first-quarter billings, increasing by nearly 40% to $4 billion compared with $2.9 billion in the same period last year, according to figures from the US General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Worldwide deliveries climbed over 34% in the same timeframe, with manufacturers shipping 845 aircraft compared with 630 in the first quarter of 2005, says GAMA.
“These positive figures, if sustained, are an indication that the year will be a solid one for general aviation,” says GAMA president and chief executive Peter Bunce.
The strategy by many piston airframers to upgrade their products with glass cockpits is reaping dividends, with shipments soaring over 36% to 597 units. Jet aircraft shipments rose 36% to 189 units during the same period, largely due to the continued production ramp-up across the board. Turboprop deliveries increased by only two units to 59, but production numbers are expected to rise considerably this year, boosted by the service entry of upgraded models such as the Piaggio Avanti II and Beechcraft King Air C90GT.
Source: Flight International
