Argus Sees Dip in Bizav Flight Activity in February

Business aviation activity slowed overall by 1.4 percent in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean in February, with both Part 135 and 91 flights down, according to the latest Argus TraqPaq report. Calling the overall decline in February unexpected, Argus reported that fractional activity posted the only year-over-year increase during the month, up 5.5 percent. Part 91 activity decreased 1 percent, while Part 135 activity marked a 4.2 percent decline. February was the ninth consecutive month in which Part 135 activity was down.

By aircraft segment, midsize jets were involved in the only increase in activity during the month, up 3.5 percent. This was led by a 14.2 percent jump in fractional flights and 3 percent improvement in Part 91 flights. Light-jet flights logged the biggest decline, down 4.5 percent in February. Part 135 flights involving light jets had dropped 11 percent in February.

Turboprop flights were down 3.5 percent, as activity declined across Part 91, Part 135, and fractional flights. Large-jet activity declined just 1.5 percent and was up 4 percent in Part 135 flights. The large-jet decline in the month came primarily from fractional use, which was down 13.8 percent.

Despite the decline in February, Argus is projecting flight activity will level out in March, expecting a 0.2 percent increase from March 2018.