The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) reported $6.85 billion in total aircraft billings for the first quarter of 2026 — a sharp increase from the $5.04 billion reported in Q1 2025. The figure continues a multi-year surge in GA industry revenue driven primarily by business jet deliveries, and puts the industry on pace for another record-setting year.
The number signals that the momentum behind general aviation manufacturing isn’t slowing down. If anything, it’s accelerating.
How Does Q1 2026 Compare to Previous Years?
The $6.85 billion in first-quarter billings represents roughly a 36 percent increase over the same period last year, when GAMA reported $5.04 billion in total aircraft billings for Q1 2025.
For context, here’s how first-quarter billings have tracked over the past several years:
- Q1 2024: $4.7 billion
- Q1 2025: $5.04 billion (up 25.7% year-over-year)
- Q1 2026: $6.85 billion (up approximately 36% year-over-year)
The acceleration is notable. The Q1 2025 jump was already considered strong — AVweb described it as “a whopping 25.7% increase” at the time. The Q1 2026 number exceeds that growth rate significantly.
Full-year 2025 billings reached a record $35.7 billion, the highest in the history of the GAMA report. At the current pace, 2026 could push well past that mark. However, first-quarter figures historically represent the lowest billing quarter of the year, with deliveries accelerating into Q3 and Q4 as manufacturers push to meet year-end targets.
What’s Driving the Growth?
The answer, as it has been for the past several years, is business jets.
In full-year 2025, business jet deliveries rose 11.8 percent to 854 units — the segment’s strongest year since before the pandemic. More importantly, the jets being delivered are increasingly expensive. Gulfstream alone recorded $7 billion in revenue on roughly 156 aircraft in 2025, reflecting the industry’s shift toward large-cabin and ultra-long-range models like the Gulfstream G700, G800, and Bombardier Global 8000.
GAMA President and CEO James Viola noted at the February 2026 State of the Industry press conference that manufacturer backlogs remain “robust across all segments.” Jens Hennig of GAMA told Flying Magazine that among manufacturers who report backlog numbers — particularly in top-end products — total order books exceed $60 billion as of early 2026.
The 100 percent bonus depreciation provision in U.S. tax law continues to incentivize new aircraft purchases by allowing buyers to deduct the full cost of a business aircraft in the year of acquisition. This has been a significant demand driver for the business jet segment.
How Are Piston and Turboprop Segments Performing?
The piston airplane market has been quietly steady. In full-year 2025, piston deliveries edged up to 1,782 units — a small but positive increase of 10 units over 2024. This segment has been stable since the post-pandemic recovery but hasn’t seen the dramatic growth of the jet market.
Turboprops declined 5.1 percent in 2025 to 594 deliveries. However, GAMA has emphasized that all segments — including turboprops — remain above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
The helicopter market has been mixed. Piston helicopter deliveries slipped slightly to 206 units in 2025 (down from 210), while turbine helicopters fell to 732 (down from 746). Despite fewer deliveries, helicopter billings rose 5.5 percent to $4.7 billion, reflecting higher average transaction values.
For Q1 2026, the business jet segment is almost certainly responsible for the majority of the billing increase, consistent with the pattern seen in Q1 2025 when jet deliveries accounted for the overwhelming share of the billing surge.
What Does This Mean for General Aviation?
At the manufacturer level, the numbers reflect sustained confidence. Backlog data, delivery trends, and billing growth all point to an industry operating well above historical norms. New models entering production — including the Bombardier Global 8000, Gulfstream G800, and the Cessna Citation Ascend — are expanding the product lineup and supporting higher per-unit values.
At the broader economic level, GAMA reports that general aviation supports $339 billion in total economic output and 1.3 million jobs in the United States. The industry’s health extends well beyond the OEMs to include maintenance providers, avionics manufacturers, FBOs, flight schools, and the entire supply chain that supports GA operations.
For flight schools and training organizations, the sustained growth of the GA manufacturing sector is a positive signal. More aircraft in the fleet means more demand for pilots, mechanics, and training infrastructure. The workforce pipeline — from student pilot to airline captain, from A&P student to line mechanic — depends on a healthy manufacturing base producing the aircraft that the industry operates.
GAMA remains a founding member of the Modern Skies Coalition, which advocates for updated airspace technology, improved aircraft certification processes, and safer, more efficient operations. The association continues to support ADS-B In mandates with certification flexibility, Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) implementation, and planning for advanced air mobility integration.
The Industry’s Biggest Risk
The optimism comes with caveats. Business aviation is closely tied to corporate profits and broader financial market conditions. Any sharp reversal in equity prices, credit conditions, or global trade dynamics could pressure discretionary flying and new aircraft orders.
The tariff environment is another variable. GAMA has noted that the aviation industry has benefited from a zero-tariff framework since 1979, and the association is actively monitoring the upcoming review of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement. Any disruption to that framework could impact supply chains and manufacturer costs.
Supply chain constraints — while improved from the acute shortages of 2022 and 2023 — remain a concern, particularly in the engine sector and for raw materials, forgings, and castings. These bottlenecks have limited some manufacturers’ ability to fully capitalize on strong order books.
For now, however, the Q1 2026 numbers tell a clear story: the general aviation manufacturing industry is performing at historically high levels, with no sign of slowing down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did GAMA report in Q1 2026 aircraft billings? GAMA reported $6.85 billion in total aircraft billings for the first quarter of 2026. This represents approximately a 36 percent increase over Q1 2025, when total billings were $5.04 billion.
What is driving the increase in GA aircraft billings? Business jet deliveries are the primary driver. Higher delivery volumes combined with a shift toward larger, more expensive aircraft — such as the Gulfstream G700/G800 and Bombardier Global 8000 — have pushed per-unit values higher. The 100 percent bonus depreciation tax provision in U.S. law also continues to incentivize new purchases.
What were full-year 2025 GA aircraft billings? GAMA reported record full-year 2025 billings of $35.7 billion, an increase of 14.6 percent over 2024. This was the highest annual figure ever recorded in the history of the GAMA shipment and billing report.
How many aircraft did GA manufacturers deliver in 2025? Manufacturers shipped 3,230 airplanes in 2025, up 2.2 percent from 3,162 in 2024. Business jets led with 854 deliveries (up 11.8%), piston airplanes totaled 1,782 (up 10 units), and turboprops declined 5.1 percent to 594.
What is GAMA? The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is the trade association representing the global general aviation and business aviation manufacturing industry. GAMA publishes quarterly and annual aircraft shipment and billing reports, which are the industry’s most widely cited production and sales benchmarks.
