Business aircraft activity rose 2.4 percent year-over-year in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean last month, as stronger-than-expected Fourth of July traffic boosted results, according to TraqPak data released yesterday by Argus International. Unfortunately, these rosy figures aren’t likely to continue into this month, with Argus predicting a 0.3 percent decline in August.
All operating categories saw increases last month, led by a 6.5 percent year-over-year rise in fractional flying. This was followed by Part 91 and Part 135/charter activity, which climbed by 1.9 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively, from last July.
The aircraft categories were mostly positive, with midsize jets posting the largest activity increase from last July, soaring 5.3 percent. Light-jet flying surged 3 percent year-over-year, while turboprops logged a modest 0.5 percent gain. However, large-cabin jets dropped slightly, falling 0.3 percent from a year ago.
In individual categories, fractional midsize-jet activity garnered the only double-digit increase, rising 12.3 percent. Meanwhile, fractional large-cabin flying experienced the only double-digit loss, dropping 17.3 percent from July 2018.
Weekday flights were up 1.1 percent, while weekend traffic fell 3.8 percent, according to the Argus data. The U.S. Southeast once again led all departures, at 49,700, followed by the Great Lakes region at 35,324; Mid-Atlantic states, 31,684; and West Coast, 31,422.
