North American business aircraft flying was up by 4.9 percent year-over-year last month, marking one of the best performances year to date, according to TraqPak data released today by Argus International. This surpassed the company’s projection of a 3.1-percent gain last month, and Argus analysts remain optimistic about this month, estimating a 4.1-percent rise in flying.

Results by operational category showed “significant gains” across the board last month, with Part 135 activity climbing by 7.6 percent, Argus said. Part 91 flying logged a 4.1-percent improvement, while fractional activity rose a “modest” 1.2 percent.

The aircraft categories were also all positive in November and once again led by large-cabin jet activity, which surged 7.6 percent versus a year ago. Turboprop flying was also robust, jumping 5.6 percent year-over year; light and midsize jets followed at 4.2 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.

While the overall gains last month were quite solid, only two individual categories saw double-digit increases: Part 135 and fractional large-cabin-jet flying, which rose 16.1 percent and 12 percent, respectively, year-over-year. The sole loss in an individual category was fractional midsize-jet activity, which shrank 2.3 percent from a year ago.

Argus TraqPak data provides “flight-number-specific aircraft arrival and departure information on all IFR flights in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean.”