Shipment Figures show further Growth in GA

Shipment figures for the second quarter of 2022 released last week by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have revealed a soild increase in deliveries year-to-date over 2021.

In all, 371 piston aeroplanes and 137 turbo-props were delivered for the April-June 2022 period, compared with 330 and 137 respectively for Q2 2021, representing growth returns of 12% for piston aeroplanes and zero growth for turbo-props. 

However, the figures returned for the first half of 2022 compared to the first six months of 2021 show that piston engine deliveries are up 13% year-to-date and turbo-props up 12%, continuing GA's recovery from the pandemic years.

Cirrus showed a flat Q2 for the SR22/T with only a 4% increase in shipments, but the smaller SR20 recorded 27 deliveries, only the fifth quarter in the last five years that the type has had more than 20 shipments. Cessna's C172SP and Piper's Archer III, were both down around 10% on last year, with 42 and 18 roll-outs respectively.

Diamond's DA50 continues to make ground, with the five examples completed the best effort since the type entered the books in Q3 last year.

The European twins continue to dominate their US-built competitors with Diamond's DA42 scoring nine airframes and the larger DA62 doubling its Q2 2021 performance to 16 shipments. Tecnam's P2006T was 43% up on last year with 10 deliveries. By comparison, the four Piper Seminoles sent to customers represented the total twin piston output by the USA's manufacturers. No Senecas and no Barons were completed in the April-June period.

It was business as usual in the single-engine turbo-prop category with Cessna's Caravan series and the Pilatus PC-12 leading the way. Daher had a particularly poor quarter with the TBM 960 down 79% on the TBM 940 offering this time last year. Piper's M500/600 held its ground being slightly up on last year.

Single-pilot jets were steady with some fluctuation, but the stand-out was Honda's HA420, which was 500% up on Q2 2021. However, with only six aircraft rolled-out, the type continues to trail the field.

Major Aircraft Shipments