During the first six months of 2019, demand for basic training aircraft led general aviation sales, followed by sales of business jets. By the end of the second quarter of 2019, more than 280 single-engine aircraft sales and orders had been booked. Leaders in the trainer market included Cirrus Aircraft, Textron (Cessna), Diamond Aircraft Industries, and Piper. During the same period, rotorcraft and turboprop sales sagged.
General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce said the mixed results “should not obscure the outlook for a bright future for general aviation” because additional aircraft models are “expected to enter into service by the end of 2019.”
Concurrently, the Aircraft Electronics Association announced that sales of aircraft electronics had increased more than 15% over the same period last year.
Flight schools are anticipating increased demand for pilot training over the next 10 to 20 years as many airline pilots begin to reach the mandatory retirement age.