Story ID: 
GA Deliveries Breaking Records
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: On Friday, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported record-breaking shipment and billing figures.
Word Count: 176
On Friday, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported record-breaking shipment and billing figures. In the first half of this year, shipments of general aviation airplanes totaled 1,843 units (including pistons), a 19.1-percent increase over the same period last year, with industry billings rising 34.9 percent to $8.8 billion. “These are the highest recorded billings for the first half of a year in general aviation’s history,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA’s president and CEO. “With our manufacturers’ current backlog, we are confident that this trend will continue throughout the remainder of the year.” Turboprop deliveries rose 12.1 percent, from 141 aircraft in the first six months of last year to 158 in the same period this year. GAMA said the healthiest increase occurred in the business jet market, with a 27.7-percent increase in year-over-year shipments from 325 to 415 jets. “We are encouraged by this continued positive trend, but we are closely monitoring the potential impact that rising fuel prices and interest rates may have on our dynamic worldwide industry,” noted Bunce. GAMA’s second-quarter report contains a company-by-company breakdown of aircraft deliveries.