FAA Forecasts Steady but Slow Growth for GA

Pia Bergqvist

Thursday, March 19, 2015 at 08:59 PM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The FAA forecasts steady growth for the general aviation sector (1.4% annually) and its active fleet (0.4% annually) from 2015-2035, driven by economic factors and commercial travel concerns.
Despite a 1% increase in overall GA shipments in 2014, including significant growth in business jet deliveries, the utilization of GA aircraft experienced a decline.
Future growth in the active GA fleet will be primarily led by turbine-powered aircraft (2.4% annually) and light-sport aircraft (4.3% annually), while the piston-powered fleet is projected to decline.

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In the FAA’s just-released Aerospace Forecast for the fiscal years 2015 through 2035 the agency expects steady growth in the general aviation sector with an average increase of 1.4 percent per year over the 20-year period.

According to the published FAA data, 2014 saw one percent growth in total GA shipments. The single-engine piston market grew by 6.2 percent compared with 2013, but the twin-piston segment saw a 10 percent drop. Business jet shipments were strong with a growth of 12.3 percent, the first increase in bizjet deliveries in the United States since 2008. The turboprop market saw an 11.2 percent drop after a strong year in 2013.