Thu, Aug 04, 2011
GA Shipments Worldwide Fell 15.5 Percent Compared To 2010
GAMA released the shipment and billings figures for the first
half of the year Thursday, and the news is not particularly good.
In fact, some might say it's downright bad. In the first six
months of 2011, total general aviation (GA) airplane shipments
worldwide fell 15.5 percent, from 936 in 2010 to 791 this year.
Billings for general aviation airplanes totaled $7.3 billion, down
22.3 percent.
Piston-powered airplane shipments
totaled 387 units compared to 424 units delivered in the first six
months of 2010, an 8.7 percent decrease. Turboprop shipments
declined 8.9 percent to 143 units in 2011, compared to 157 units
during this same period in 2010. Business jet shipments totaled 261
units, a 26.5 percent decrease as compared to the 355 units
delivered in the first six months of 2010.
"These negative shipment numbers demonstrate precisely how
ill-timed and potentially destructive the Obama
Administration’s rhetoric and policies toward corporate jets
are for general aviation,” said GAMA’s President and
CEO Pete Bunce. "This Administration has singled out business
aircraft owners with political demagoguery. It is simply
astonishing that they cannot connect the dots back to manufacturing
jobs and realize they are doing more damage to an industry that has
obviously not yet clawed its way out of this recession. Instead of
demonizing our industry, President Obama should stand up for
general aviation manufacturing jobs."
Tom Buffenbarger, international president of the International
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, added, "If
President Obama ever becomes interested in creating general
aviation jobs rather than using the industry as a punching bag, we
are ready to work with him to advance these job and business
opportunities."
Owners of business aircraft can depreciate their investment over
five years. President Obama has proposed changing the depreciation
schedule for general aviation aircraft to seven years calling the
current five year schedule an “egregious” tax loophole.
The depreciation schedule for general aviation aircraft has been in
existence since the early 1980s. Business aircraft are treated
similarly to other assets such as cars, buses, trucks, and
construction equipment, which can be depreciated over a five year
period when purchased for business use. Many observers have
criticized the Obama Administration’s focus on this provision
because of its minimal impact on reducing the federal deficit.
|
2010 |
2011 |
% Change |
Pistons |
424 |
387 |
-8.7 |
Turboprops |
157 |
143 |
-8.9 |
Business Jets |
355 |
261 |
-26.5 |
Total Shipments |
936 |
791 |
-15.5 |
Total Billings |
$9.4B |
$7.3B |
-22.3 |
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