The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) yesterday released the third quarter 2018 aircraft shipment figures, which show total aeroplane shipments up 6% over the same period last year.
Every sector showed an increase in deliveries, even though the total value in $US was 3% down on the 2017 figure.
"This is one of those few times since the great recession that we have seen all segments up in shipment numbers,” said GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce.
“While there remain some soft spots in a few segments, including business jet deliveries and impacts being felt from global trade disputes, I’m optimistic about our industry’s performance in 2019 given continuing healthy demand for tax expensing, stabilisation of the used market, and the number of new products being introduced to the market place.”
Figures for the trainer market show that Piper's Archer III has continued to threaten the position of the C172SP, recording more deliveries than the Cessna for only the second time since the beginning of 2013. The two dominated the sector, with Diamond's DA40 turning in one of the quietest quarters it has has since the Global Financial Crisis abated. Cirrus also had a flat quarter with the SR20, shipping only nine airframes.
However, the Cirrus SR22/T continued to completely overwhelm all challengers in the fast-single market, the 81 aircraft delivered was more than three times that of the aggregate figures of all other manufacturers. The next best was the Cessna C182T, with nine deliveries.
Diamond, however, would be bouyant with the performance of their twins, with the DA62 and DA42 taking first and second place respectively in the sector. The 15 DA62s delivered represents the best quarterly result for the model since it first entered the market place. Conversely, only four G58 Barons were delivered, and Piper didn't move a single Seneca.
The big-ticket turbo-prop market continued to contribute, led by the Cessna Caravan series and the Pilatus PC-12, although both recorded deliveries that were down on Q3 2017. Pacific Aerospace turned in a good quarter, moving three P750XLs, the Kiwi company's best result since Q3 2016. Piper's M500/M600 series also served well, with 15 airframes shipped to customers.
In the small jet segment, Embraer's Phenom 300 continued to lead, but with a majority reduced by the Cirrus SF50 Vision, which returned its best quarterly figures since certification in late 2016. Pilatus new model, the PC-24, also made its mark, with six shipments for the quarter, reflecting the ramp-up in production at the Stans factory.
Major Aircraft Shipments Q3 2018
| Aircraft | Q3 2018 | Q3 2017 | Change |
| Piper Warrior III | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Cessna C172SP | 30 | 24 | 25% |
| Piper Archer III | 34 | 22 | 55% |
| Diamond DA40 | 8 | 22 | -64% |
| Cirrus SR20 | 9 | 14 | -36% |
| Tecnam P2010 | 3 | 3 | 0% |
| Cessna C182T | 9 | 7 | 29% |
| Beech G36 Bonanza | 5 | 3 | 67% |
| Cirrus SR22/T | 81 | 73 | 11% |
| Cessna TTx | 0 | 4 | -100% |
| Piper M350/Matrix | 5 | 1 | 400% |
| Mooney Ovation/Acclaim | 3 | 1 | 200% |
| Beech G58 Baron | 4 | 5 | -20% |
| Piper Seminole | 9 | 6 | 50% |
| Piper Seneca V | 0 | 1 | 0% |
| Diamond DA42 | 14 | 9 | 56% |
| Tecnam P2006T | 8 | 10 | -20% |
| Diamond DA62 | 15 | 8 | 88% |
| Cessna Caravan Series | 24 | 33 | -27% |
| Quest Kodiak 100 | 6 | 6 | 0% |
| Pilatus PC12 | 20 | 22 | -9% |
| Daher TBM 900/910/930 | 11 | 13 | -15% |
| PAC 750XL | 3 | 1 | 200% |
| Piper Meridian/M500/M600 | 15 | 12 | 25% |
| Cessna Mustang & M2 | 6 | 10 | -40% |
| Eclipse 550 | 0 | 1 | -100% |
| Embraer Phenom 100 & 300 | 17 | 13 | 31% |
| Honda HA420 | 4 | 6 | -33% |
| SF50 Vision | 16 | 7 | 129% |
| Pilatus PC24 | 6 | - | - |
| Cessna T206H | 6 | 7 | -14% |
| GippsAero Airvan 8 | 1 | 1 | 0% |