BUSINESS AVIATION
24 | Flight International | 3-9 March 2020 flightglobal.com
T
he business jet market is rid-
ing high. After four years of
very modest annual delivery
rises, the sector in 2019 recorded
its best output figures in a dec-
ade, and its highest year-on-year
increase in shipments since the
market boom of 2008.
This strong performance was
largely due to the introduction
and production ramp-up of a raft
of clean-sheet and reinvigorated
models, resulting in a year-on-
year delivery increase for all
three aircraft classes: light, mid-
size and large-cabin.
In its latest annual industry re-
view, released on 20 February,
6%
4%65%15% 10%North Europe Asia-Pacific
AmericaMiddle East
and AfricaLatin
America2018
Delivery market share
by regionSource: GAMA6%
5%67%14% 8%North Europe Asia-Pacific
AmericaMiddle East
and AfricaLatin
America2019
Delivery market share
by regionSource: GAMALight MidsizeAnnual deliveries by category, 2008-2019
Source: GAMA02004006008001,0001,2001,4001,600200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019Large/VIP airliner1,313861(^760696)
672 678 722 718 661 676 703
809
ANALYSIS KATE SARSFIELD LONDON
Arrival of new types delivers
strongest results in a decade
GAMA figures show reinvigorated sector with rising shipments across all aircraft classes
the General Aviation Manufactur-
ers Association (GAMA) record-
ed deliveries in 2019 of 809 busi-
ness jets: a 106-unit, or 15%,
increase from the previous year.
The value of the shipments
climbed by $3 billion to $21 bil-
lion – a 17% rise.
GAMA singles out the light-jet
sector as the strongest performer
for the 12 months ended 31 De-
cember 2019, with a buoyant US
market – which accounts for
around 70% of the world’s inven-
tory in this class – helping to lift
output for this category from 315
aircraft in 2018 to 372 last year.
This was a rise of more than
18%, and marked the highest an-
nual shipment tally for this seg-
ment since 2009, when 400 units
were handed over.
Pilatus made the strongest
gains in the category, with the re-
port showing that output for the
PC-24 more than doubled from
18 units in 2018 to 40 last year.
The Swiss airframer re-opened
the orderbook for the short take-
off and landing aircraft in May
2019, having sold the first batch
of 84 aircraft within 36h of start-
ing to take commitments in 2014.
Pilatus says it will transfer the
final example from this order
round during the third quarter –
one of 50 PC-24s planned for de-
livery this year.
Cirrus performed well in 2019,
with an output of 81 SF50 Vision
Jets – nearly 30% more than the 63
examples delivered in 2018. Last
year also marked the service entry
of the second generation (G2) ver-
sion of the SF50. The aircraft owes
much of its appeal to its unique po-
sition as the only Part 23-approved
single-engined jet on the market.
Cirrus – developer of the SR family
of piston singles – has orders for
around 500 SF50s, and is planning
to ship 100 units this year.
Cessna continues to dominate
the light-jet sector, with four
Citation-series models contribut-
ing 126 deliveries last year –
around one-third of the segment’s
output. This compared with 121
shipments in 2018. While output
for its entry-level M2 and CJ3+
remained flat, at 34 and 37 units
respectively, gains were made by
the CJ4 and XLS+, highlighting
the continued appeal of the Tex-
tron Aviation-owned top-end
light jets globally.
The Embraer Phenom 300 re-
tained its title as the most deliv-
ered light-business jet for the sev-
enth year running, although
shipments of the six-passenger
type slipped by two units, to 51
aircraft in 2019, GAMA’s report
shows. Embraer is hoping to boost
the appeal of its top seller this year
with the introduction in the sec-
ond quarter of revamped version
of the current enhanced E-model.
BOOSTED VALUE
The Brazilian airframer’s decision
in 2018 to boost the value proposi-
tion of its portfolio through a wave
of product enhancements may be
bearing fruit. After seven years of
falling output, Phenom 100 ship-
ments remained stable in 2019 at
11 units, while shipments of the
Legacy 450 nudged up by one
example, to 15.
This tactic has also impacted its
midsize Legacy 500, which re-
corded a two-unit hike last year to
11 aircraft, according to GAMA’s
report. The introduction in 2019 of
the midsize Praetor 500 and super-
midsize 600 contributed three and
13 units respectively to Embraer’s
2019 output of 109 business jets.
Described by the company as “the
most disruptive and technologi-
cally advanced jets in the midsize
segment”, the Praetors have al-
ready secured “healthy sales”, it
says, including an undisclosed,
but sizeable order from fractional
ownership company FlexJet.
Praetor demand contributed to
a healthy overall performance for
the midsize sector in 2019. GAMA
records deliveries of 197 aircraft –
Cessna’s flagship
Longitude entered
service last October