Surprising Return to 2019-Era Numbers, With Increases Across the Board to Make up for Lost Ground

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association released the year-end 2021 General Aviation Aircraft Shipments and Billings Report at its State of the Industry press conference.

How are things looking? Overall, when compared to 2020, all aircraft segments saw increases in shipments and preliminary aircraft deliveries were valued at $25.2 billion, an increase of 10.2%. 

Of course, with the black-swan performance of 2020, nearly any increase would be expected. Despite the erratic behavior of a range of economic indicators, the general aviation market still found a healthy number of buyers, ultimately delivering $22.8 billion worth of aircraft. The "before" times of 2019, that same number reached $27.3 billion. The negative impact of the pandemic has appeared to be sloughing off though, as 2021 has bounced back to around $2 billion short of 2019 deliveries. The continuing hassle of commercial travel, the back-to-basics family interactions of lockdown, and a return to private aviation have all coalesced into a rare strengthening of the light aircraft scene, as some pilots reported that the short break from the rat race enabled them to appreciate their hobbies once again.

Piston aircraft had made a strong showing even in 2020, only dropping by less than 1% from 2019. In 2021, piston aircraft deliveries grew by 5.5% to 1,393 units, showing a promising upward trajectory despite supply issues and rising costs for some components behind the scenes. Whether this momentum will carry through 2022 remains to be seen, as increasing costs throughout the supply chain and shipping affect final customer side pricing. 

Turboprop airplane deliveries have similarly rebounded, seeing a nearly 20% increase over 2020's. Still, all the talk of percentages can obscure the fact that deliveries are relatively small in the grand scheme of things: Only 527 turboprop aircraft were shipped in 2021, hardly half of the number of aircraft delivered by Airbus and Boeing over the same span. In the same vein, the helicopter market also showed a turn for the normal, with piston helo deliveries increasing by 27.5% with 181 units, and turbine helos by 24.8% to 645 units. Overall, the helicopter sphere increased by 28%, bringing their segment into the region of 2019's performance once again. 

“The strength and tenacity of the general aviation industry has provided a strong foundation for the industry to rebound from pandemic-related setbacks with a powerful showing in 2021. Total aircraft shipments are converging on figures that were seen before the outset of the pandemic. The industry has been able to weather the storm by strategically managing workforce and supply chain challenges, which unfortunately are still ongoing. Despite this adversity, there is robust interest and excitement in our industry as we continue to further our advancements in innovation, technology and environmental sustainability,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA President and CEO. 

FMI: www.gama.com