Business aircraft flight activity in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean increased by a moderate 0.9 percent last year, while flight hours rose 0.7 percent in the same year-on-year period, according to Argus International’s 2018 Annual Business Aviation Review. This compares with year-over-year increases in flight activity of 4.8 percent in 2017 and 8.1 percent in 2016.

“Flight activity grew at a flatter pace compared to previous years, but growth is still growth,” Argus said. “We eclipsed the three million flight mark for the second year in a row and look to be on track for more of the same in 2019.”

Activity was positive in the first half of 2018, climbing 2.3 percent year-over-year, but fell 0.5 percent in the latter half, it added. The first quarter experienced the strongest year-over-year growth in flight activity, up 3.2 percent, followed by a 1.5 percent increase in the second quarter. Meanwhile, there were declines of 0.8 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively, in the third and fourth.

All operator categories saw growth last year, with fractional flying taking the lead with a 1.2 percent increase, followed by Part 91 (1.1 percent) and charter (0.5 percent). By aircraft category, midsize jet activity took top honors with a 2.3 percent year-over-year increase, trailed by large-cabin jets (1.2 percent) and turboprops (0.7 percent). Light jet activity decreased by 0.6 percent last year.

Once again, Gama Aviation Signature was the top charter operator in North America, logging 91,195 flight hours last year, up nearly 11,000 hours year-on-year, as its fleet grew by 50 aircraft in 2018, to 203. Rounding out the top-five spots are Executive Jet Management with 61,982 hours; XOJet, 45,404 hours; Delta Private Jets, 40,385 hours; and Solairus Aviation, 30,205 hours.

In the fractional realm, NetJets was the leader by a huge margin, with Argus reporting 365,710 flight hours, up 0.1 percent from 2017, at the operator last year. The next closest was Flexjet with 85,520 hours, up 8.5 percent year-over-year, followed by PlaneSense with 35,047 hours.

It should come as no surprise that Teterboro Airport was once again the busiest business aviation airport in North America, recording 73,793 departures last year, down 0.7 percent from 2017. This was followed by Dallas Love with 35,442 departures; Westchester County in White Plains, New York, 32,612; Van Nuys, California, 30,791; Las Vegas McCarran, 29,291; Washington Dulles, 29,190; and Houston Intercontinental, 28,219.

By U.S. region, the Southeast dominated with 694,339 flights, trailed by Western Pacific, 405,294 flights; Great Lakes, 388,003; Southwest, 373,817; Eastern, 368,828; Northwest, 291,796; Central, 144,547; and Northeast, 110,504.

After a “mild, but positive, year,” Argus TraqPak analysts estimate that this overall trend will continue into 2019, calling for a 0.5 percent increase in the first quarter. Its analysts predict that fractional activity will see the largest jump in the quarter, at 3.3 percent, with Part 91 operations expected to rise 1.4 percent while charter flying is projected to fall 1.6 percent from first-quarter 2018.

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