Small overall decline belies solid growth for business jets
There were 52,419 business aviation departures in Europe in December 2016, according to WINGX`s latest monthly Business Aviation Monitor. The figure represents a 0.6% decline in YOY activity.

The annual total of 798,000 business aviation flights in 2016 was down by 0.3% compared to 2015.

December's decline was a result of weaker Turboprop and Piston activity, although business jet flights were up - especially in AOC activity. The last 12-month trends for business jet flights are now positive, offset by negative trends in Prop aircraft activity.

December activity was held back by much weaker demand in Germany. Departures were down 9%, equivalent to 760 fewer YOY flights. Decline in Germany was particularly acute in Piston activity, with business jet flights falling 3% YOY.

Top market France also saw a slight decline in activity in December, although business jet departures from France were up 6%, and AOC activity in France grew 8% overall. UK flight activity grew 1%, Italy & Spain by 2%, Switzerland by 6% YOY.

Intra-European activity was down 1% overall in December, with a weaker Western Europe bolstered by stronger Southern Europe. Arrivals into Europe were well up from Middle East & Africa but down from North America and Russia this month.

Private flights fell by 4%, ending a mostly negative year for these missions, in contrast to AOC flights, consistently expanding in 2016. AOC flights grew YOY between 10% and 15% from Italy, Switzerland and Spain this month.

Cities with most business aviation flights

Declines for London and Madrid, strong growth for Geneva, Nice, also Istanbul.

Aircraft

AOC flights saw largest growth on Bombardier jets, with activity up 9% in December. Embraer flight activity was well up, whilst Cessna was up - but only in AOC activity. Dassault and Hawker flights were notably diminished this month.

Ultra-long range and Super midsize jet activity was up in every month of 2016, with SLJ, LJ & VLJ activity also mostly positive, with around 10% YOY growth in December. Midsize jet activity continued to erode in December, but Heavy Jet activity bounced back.

Airports

YOY business aviation activity spiked at Geneva and Nice in December, bouncing back from a very weak comparable December 2015. Vnukovo was also up >10% and flights from Stansted grew >30% YOY. Nice had most growth in activity for the full year.

Richard Koe, Managing Director of WINGX Advance, comments:

“Overall a disappointing finish to 2016, the full year showing no aggregate improvement on a stagnant 2015. However, much of this is due to the decline Prop activity, especially in Germany. The business jet market is meanwhile evidently recovering, especially in AOC activity. This was again evident in December´s growth in Small Jet Charters, especially from Switzerland, Italy and Spain.”

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WINGX Advance is a data research and consulting company based in Hamburg, Germany. WINGX analysis provides actionable market intelligence for the business aviation industry. WINGX services include: Market Intelligence Briefings, Customised Research, Strategic Consulting, Market Surveys. WINGX customers range from aircraft operators, OEMs, airlines, maintenance providers, airports, fixed base operators, fuel providers, regulators, legal advisors, leasing companies, banks, investors and private jet users.

WINGX Advance GmbH 
Conventstr. 8 - 10
Building A
D - 22089 Hamburg
Germany.
+49 40 32 84 69 78 phone | +49 40 32 84 69 79 fax
©BlueSky Business Aviation News | 12th January 2017 | Issue #399
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