Piper Aircraft this week announced significant growth for the 2017 calendar year, driven by high demand for their training aircraft and the flagship M600. The result represents a 23% increase over the previous year.
According to the company, demand for the single engine primary trainers such as the Archer TX increased 50% over the 2016 figures, accompanied by a 70% increase in deliveries of multi engine trainers. Additionally, sales of Piper's flagship M600 turbine expanded by 59%, which resulted in an extra $US41 million in revenue.
Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott said the company's performance was partly due to the Vero Beach plant's manufacturing method.
"Piper's ability to level-load aircraft production has allowed us to meet solid financial growth and performance goals while expanding our worldwide sales visibility and efforts, especially in the pilot training realm," he said.
"As we look towards 2018, we are excited about the growth in demand for aircraft trainers and the resulting contracts that we have been awarded, which has helped create a backlog of orders. Additionally working with our full-service Dealers, we look to continue to grow M-class demand and sales."
Piper recently announced the largest order in the company's history: a 152-unit sale to China, which is expected to bolster the 2018 growth figures significantly.
This week's announcement comes ahead of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) year-end 2017 shipment figures, which are due to be released next week.