Business Aircraft Flight Activity Sees Boost in June

Global business aircraft flight activity jumped 4.8% year over year (YOY) in June, with North America up 3.7%, and Europe up 2.4%, according to aviation safety and data specialist Argus International. This sets the stage for continued improvement this month, with Argus anticipating a 1.8% YOY increase in North America and a 1.5% rise in European activity in July.

Citing its TraqPak data, Argus noted that strengthened North American operations in June exceeded the projected 1.1% increase for the month, with operational categories up across the board. Fractional activity continued to drive the increases, up 9.4% YOY in North America, followed by Part 135, up 2.8%, and Part 91, up 2.1%.

In North America, all categories trended positive last month, with light jets leading the way at a 5.7% YOY increase, followed by large-cabin jets at 3.5%, and midsize jets and turboprops each with 2.9% gains. While fractional operations have surged for some time, Part 135/charter activity is now up 1.9% in the first half, Argus reported.

In June, the only YOY decline in flights in North America specifically involved large-cabin jets operated under Part 91, and that was off by just 0.1%. The biggest increase involved fractional large-cabin operations, up 27.9% YOY.

In Europe, operations were up for the second month in a row with large-cabin jet operations showing the largest increase at 6.2%, followed by midsize jets at 3.4%. However, not all aircraft categories posted gains; operations involving turboprops were down 0.2% YOY and light jets by 0.5% in June.

As for the rest of the world, operations were up 13.4% YOY in June, with turboprop activity increasing by 21.6% and light jet operations by 10.9%. Large-cabin jets followed at 5.3% and then midsize jets at 4.3%.