Business aircraft activity last month climbed to its highest level since 2008, rising 1.8 percent from a year ago, according to TraqPak data released yesterday by aviation services company Argus. This marks the fourth year-over-year increase this year.
As has been the trend in 2013, the Part 135 category again was the only operating segment to experience a gain in flying activity, climbing 9.9 percent last month year-over-year. Part 91 activity slipped by 0.4 percent, while fractional flying–which is still dealing with the effects of Avantair’s demise–fell by 6.9 percent last month, Argus data shows. However, Avantair’s drag on the fractional category should be nearly over, as the company’s first grounding occurred last October and subsequent flying was greatly diminished until it ceased operations permanently in early June.
By aircraft category, business jet flying was up across the board last month, while turboprop activity eroded by 5.1 percent from a year ago. Large-cabin jet activity was up 8.6-percent year-over-year, while light and midsize jet flying increased 3.7 percent and 6 percent, respectively. Broken down by individual markets, there were several double-digit gains: Part 135 light and midsize jets, 15.2 and 15.6 percent, respectively; fractional large-cabin, 12.7 percent; and Part 91 large-cabin, 10.1 percent. Meanwhile, fractional turboprop flying dived by 50.8 percent.
Argus TraqPak data provides “serial-number-specific aircraft arrival and departure information on all IFR flights in the U.S. and Canada.”
http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2013-11-14/business-jet-flying-climbs-highest-level-2008