Shipments of piston-engined aeroplanes remained steady for the first quarter of 2016 according to the General Aircraft Manufacturing Association (GAMA) figures released yesterday.
According to GAMA, 191 piston-engined aeroplanes were delivered in Q1 against the 193 for the same period last year, a drop of only 1%.
By contrast, turbo-prop shipments were down 6.8% and business jets down 4.7%. Turbine helicopters were down 27%, but piston helicopters recorded no change.
Single-engined piston aeroplanes were down significantly, with drops recorded for the Cessna C172SP (9 shipped, down 71%), Piper Archer III (3, -70%) and Diamond DA40 (13, -48%). Cirrus' evergreen SR20 recorded a large jump over 2015, with the 10 shipped a 67% increase.
Cirrus SR22 and SR22T continue to dominate the large piston single market, scoring 47 aircraft delivered; a large margin to their nearest rival, the Cessna TTx, which recorded only seven deliveries.
Tecnam's P2006T was the most popular twin in Q1, with eight aircraft sold. That was only one more than the Diamond DA42, not enough to claim out-right dominance in that market segment.
Major Shipments
| Aircraft | Q1 2016 | Q1 2015 | Change |
| Piper Warrior III | 5 | 0 | - |
| Cessna C172SP | 9 | 31 | -71% |
| Piper Archer III | 3 | 10 | -70% |
| Diamond DA40 | 13 | 25 | -48% |
| Cirrus SR20 | 10 | 6 | 67% |
| Tecnam P2010 | 7 | 6 | 17% |
| Cessna C182T | 6 | 0 | - |
| Beech G36 Bonanza | 6 | 5 | 20% |
| Cirrus SR22/T | 47 | 37 | 27% |
| Cessna TTx | 7 | 4 | 75% |
| Piper Mirage/Matrix | 4 | 0 | - |
| Mooney Ovation/Acclaim | 2 | 1 | 100% |
| Beech G58 Baron | 5 | 2 | 150% |
| Piper Seminole | 1 | 2 | -50% |
| Piper Seneca V | 0 | 0 | - |
| Diamond DA42 | 7 | 7 | 0% |
| Tecnam P2006T | 8 | 6 | 33% |
| Diamond DA62 | 3 | - | - |
| Cessna Caravan Series | 12 | 13 | -8% |
| Quest Kodiak 100 | 5 | 5 | 0% |
| Pilatus PC12 | 16 | 7 | 129% |
| Socata TBM 900/930 | 5 | 11 | -55% |
| PAC 750XL | 1 | - | - |
| Piper Meridian | 2 | 11 | -82% |
| Cessna Mustang & M2 | 5 | 10 | -50% |
| Eclipse 550 | 3 | 2 | 50% |
| Embraer Phenom 100 & 300 | 12 | 10 | 20% |
| Honda HA420 | 3 | - | - |
| Cessna T206H | 5 | 9 | -44% |
| GippsAero Airvan 8 | 2 | 5 | -60% |