Business and general aviation airplane shipments appeared to have stabilized through the first three quarters, inching 1.7 percent upward to 1,532, but billings have still slid by 2.8 percent year-over-year, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported today. Meanwhile, rotorcraft shipments are showing signs of a turnaround this year, with shipments up 7.7 percent, to 661, and billings up 8.8 percent, to $2.7 billion.

Total fixed-wing shipments tracked by GAMA through the first nine months were up by 28 units. However, billings for the period were down $300 million, to $13.2 billion. This compares with $13.5 billion and $15.7 billion in the first nine months of 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Despite the dip in billings, business jet shipments through the first nine months climbed by 1.4 percent. Manufacturers handed over 434 business jets in the first three quarters versus 428 in the comparable period in 2016.

Deliveries of both pressurized and non-pressurized turboprops fell 2.1 percent through the first three quarters, to 374—marking the only drop of the three major aircraft categories (turboprops, pistons and business jets). Piston aircraft deliveries led the increases among the aircraft categories, rising 4 percent, to 724 units.

As for rotorcraft shipments, pistons have improved by 13.1 percent, with 190 delivered in the first three quarters, while turbines rose by 5.6 percent, to 471. Rotorcraft billings increased 8.8 percent, to $2.7 billion.