Business Aviation Rebounds In Second Quarter

Aug. 22, 2014
Global business aviation activity grew by 8 percent in the second quarter

CHICAGO, Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a tepid performance in the first quarter of 2014, business aviation made a strong comeback in the second quarter of the year. According to JSSI's Business Aviation Index, Q2 2014 global business aviation activity grew by 8 percent QoQ and by 3 percent YoY.

Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), the world's leading provider of maintenance support and financial services to the business aviation industry, tracks the number of hours that business aircraft have flown by region, industry and aircraft type and releases it on a quarterly basis.

"After a tough first quarter, economic activity in the U.S. has picked up considerably, translating into a corresponding uptick in business aviation," said Neil Book, President & CEO, JSSI. "Consumer spending increased, leading to increases in hiring and inventory levels. With corporate investments on the rise and businesses feeling more confident about the prospects for future economic growth, it is no surprise that the use of business aircraft, as tools for generating additional business, is on the rise, as well."

JSSI Index: By Industry

At the industry level, all but the Power & Energy and Real Estate sectors experienced growth since last quarter, with many sectors experiencing double-digit percentage gains. On a year-over-year basis, however, only Aviation, Financial Services and Healthcare saw positive growth.

"The strong growth in output among U.S. manufacturers helped to boost not only the broader U.S. economy but also business aviation in that sector and beyond," noted Mr. Book.

Industry

Year-over-Year

Quarter-over-Quarter

Aviation

5%

7%

Business Services

0%

11%

Construction

-9%

6%

Financial Services

6%

14%

Healthcare

8%

19%

Manufacturing

-8%

14%

Power & Energy

-3%

-1%

Real Estate

0%

-4%

JSSI Index: By Region

From a global perspective, every region experienced positive growth in flight activity on a quarter-over-quarter basis, including Europe, which saw the highest growth (23 percent) for the quarter. Only the Middle East/Africa saw a slight decline on a year-over-year basis.

Region

Year-over-Year

Quarter-over-Quarter

Asia-Pacific

14%

2%

Europe

11%

23%

Latin America

11%

8%

Middle East/Africa

-3%

3%

North America

2%

4%

JSSI Index: By Aircraft Type

By aircraft type, all segments grew on a year-over-year basis, with only the Single-Engine Turboprop segment lagging on a quarter-over-quarter basis.

Aircraft Type

Year-over-Year

Quarter-over-Quarter

Helicopter

5%

39%

Large Cabin

6%

5%

Medium Cabin

2%

3%

Single-Engine Turboprop

1%

-19%

Small Cabin

3%

12%

With the onset of spring and nicer weather, helicopters saw a large increase in utilization, highlighting just how hard-hit the segment was as a result of the harsh winter conditions seen in Q1 2014.

"Because helicopters operate at lower altitudes and many lack the advanced de-icing systems that are found on jets, they often do not share the same capabilities of jets to operate in inclement weather," added Mr. Book.

About Jet Support Services, Inc. 
Founded in 1989, JSSI is the only hourly cost maintenance provider covering virtually all makes and models of business aircraft, engines and APUs. JSSI provides its customers with comprehensive, flexible and affordable financial tools for managing the often unpredictable costs of operating and maintaining nearly all types of turbine-powered aircraft, including jets, turboprops and turbine-powered helicopters. JSSI serves customers globally and manages maintenance services through its worldwide infrastructure of certified technical advisors. For more information, please visit www.jetsupport.com.

Contact:
Anne Donohoe / Marj Rose
732.620.0033 / 214.862.8992
[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE JSSI