General Aviation Profile
FINANCIAL | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
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Expenditures, total ($ millions) | 895 | 2,035 | 8,053 | 9,907 | 9,332 | 10,379 | 11,605 | 13,797 | 16,372 | 17,553 | 21,909 | 26,499 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Aircraft | 202 | 339 | 2,853 | 3,398 | 3,910 | 4,260 | 5,298 | 7,174 | 9,573 | 11,262 | 14,291 | 18,524 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Operating costs | 693 | 1,696 | 5,200 | 6,509 | 5,422 | 6,119 | 6,307 | 6,623 | 6,799 | 6,291 | 7,618 | 7,975 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
INVENTORY | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
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Number of active aircraft by primary use, total | 76,549 | 131,743 | 211,045 | 196,800 | 176,600 | 188,089 | 191,129 | 192,414 | 204,710 | 219,464 | 217,533 | 211,446 | 211,244 | 209,708 | 219,426 | 224,352 | 221,943 | 231,607 | 228,663 | 223,877 | 223,370 | U | 209,034 | 199,927 | 204,408 |
Corporate | N | 6,835 | 14,860 | 10,100 | 10,200 | 10,600 | 9,900 | 10,411 | 11,250 | 10,804 | 11,003 | 10,544 | 10,810 | 10,493 | 10,212 | 10,553 | 11,054 | 10,864 | 11,715 | 10,498 | 10,405 | U | 9,392 | 10,670 | 11,888 |
Business | N | 26,900 | 49,391 | 33,100 | 26,500 | 28,300 | 30,700 | 27,716 | 32,611 | 24,543 | 25,169 | 25,525 | 24,153 | 25,042 | 24,189 | 25,524 | 24,413 | 24,993 | 22,432 | 22,445 | 21,666 | U | 17,542 | 15,915 | 15,794 |
Instructional | N | 10,727 | 14,862 | 18,600 | 15,100 | 14,200 | 12,700 | 14,663 | 11,375 | 16,081 | 14,883 | 14,254 | 13,203 | 12,714 | 13,099 | 13,399 | 14,316 | 14,650 | 14,975 | 14,130 | 15,404 | U | 12,838 | 13,401 | 13,163 |
Personal | N | 65,398 | 96,222 | 112,600 | 104,100 | 113,400 | 113,400 | 115,630 | 124,347 | 147,085 | 148,192 | 144,031 | 145,996 | 146,722 | 149,700 | 151,408 | 149,026 | 152,514 | 154,417 | 152,272 | 150,854 | U | 141,317 | 133,859 | 135,716 |
Aerial application | N | 5,455 | 7,294 | 6,200 | 4,400 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 4,858 | 4,550 | 4,254 | 4,294 | 3,779 | 3,971 | 3,250 | 3,202 | 3,548 | 3,430 | 4,164 | 3,106 | 3,161 | 3,313 | U | 3,606 | 3,636 | 3,126 |
Aerial observation | N | N | N | 4,900 | 5,100 | 4,700 | 3,000 | 3,311 | 3,242 | 3,240 | 5,093 | 5,039 | 4,535 | 4,223 | 4,814 | 4,663 | 4,407 | 5,188 | 5,304 | 5,288 | 5,929 | U | 5,294 | 4,806 | 5,958 |
External load | N | N | N | N | 100 | 200 | 400 | 186 | 313 | 190 | 234 | 202 | 151 | 194 | 215 | 226 | 212 | 188 | 374 | 157 | 223 | U | 405 | 304 | 268 |
Other worka | N | 2,054 | 2,813 | 1,400 | 1,200 | 1,100 | 1,000 | 679 | 1,116 | 2,363 | 1,787 | 1,528 | 1,733 | 1,726 | 930 | 732 | 729 | 936 | 934 | 1,177 | 806 | U | 910 | 963 | 1,154 |
Air taxi / air toursb | N | N | N | 5,800 | 3,800 | 4,000 | 4,200 | 4,948 | 5,190 | 4,569 | 4,019 | 4,004 | 4,157 | 2,791 | 6,550 | 7,539 | 7,814 | 8,822 | 7,262 | 7,359 | 7,013 | U | 7,587 | 7,843 | 7,355 |
Sightseeingc | N | N | N | N | 1,300 | 800 | 700 | 677 | 679 | 832 | 881 | 918 | 641 | 862 | 1,050 | 945 | 906 | 1,275 | 673 | 849 | 1,457 | U | 1,097 | 1,079 | 1,663 |
Otherd | N | 8,249 | 17,045 | 4,100 | 4,400 | 5,900 | 5,600 | 5,250 | 6,010 | 1,200 | 2,500 | 2,100 | 2,642 | 2,300 | 5,465 | 5,817 | 5,636 | 8,013 | (R) 4,786 | 4,005 | 4,311 | U | 6,180 | 4,519 | 4,912 |
Public usee,f | N | N | N | N | N | N | 4,500 | 4,130 | 4,029 | 4,138 | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | U | N | N | N |
PERFORMANCE | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
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Number of flight hours by actual use, total (thousands) | 13,121 | 26,030 | 36,430 | 30,763 | 24,092 | 26,612 | 26,909 | 27,713 | 28,100 | 31,231 | 29,960 | 27,017 | 27,040 | 27,329 | 28,126 | 26,982 | 27,705 | 27,852 | 26,009 | 23,763 | 24,802 | U | 24,403 | 22,876 | 23,271 |
Corporate | N | N | 5,332 | 2,913 | 2,486 | 3,069 | 2,898 | 2,878 | 3,213 | 3,535 | 3,341 | 2,657 | 3,275 | 3,227 | 2,849 | 3,072 | 3,114 | 3,214 | (R) 2,505 | 2,532 | 2,387 | U | 2,126 | 1,717 | 1,745 |
Business | 5,699 | 7,204 | 8,434 | 4,417 | 3,012 | 3,335 | 3,259 | 3,006 | 3,523 | 3,602 | 3,588 | 3,579 | 3,287 | 3,377 | 3,249 | 3,244 | 3,234 | 3,094 | 2,505 | 2,532 | 2,387 | U | 2,126 | 1,717 | 1,745 |
Instructional | 1,828 | 6,791 | 5,748 | 7,244 | 4,382 | 4,410 | 4,759 | 4,956 | 3,961 | 5,795 | 5,050 | 4,307 | 4,182 | 4,393 | 4,035 | 3,635 | 4,322 | 3,804 | 4,427 | 3,440 | 3,885 | U | 3,727 | 3,978 | 3,818 |
Personal | 3,172 | 6,896 | 8,894 | 9,276 | 8,248 | 9,659 | 9,037 | 9,644 | 9,781 | 11,072 | 11,477 | 11,266 | 11,025 | 11,251 | 10,239 | 9,266 | 9,141 | 8,676 | 8,279 | 8,540 | 8,006 | U | 8,185 | 7,189 | 6,860 |
Aerial application | N | N | 2,044 | 1,872 | 1,364 | 1,526 | 1,713 | 1,562 | 1,306 | 1,408 | 1,318 | 1,038 | 1,182 | 1,099 | 1,142 | 1,031 | 946 | 1,415 | 922 | 960 | 1,070 | U | 956 | 1,014 | 940 |
Aerial observation | N | N | N | 1,745 | 1,746 | 1,391 | 1,057 | 1,261 | 812 | 1,244 | 1,545 | 1,442 | 1,366 | 1,262 | 1,457 | 1,265 | 1,197 | 1,364 | 1,427 | 1,211 | 1,667 | U | 1,325 | 1,141 | 1,496 |
External load | N | N | N | N | 135 | 128 | 191 | 112 | 153 | 123 | 161 | 131 | 97 | 103 | 125 | 134 | 136 | 152 | 153 | 88 | 144 | U | 209 | 167 | 161 |
Other worka | N | N | 1,053 | 572 | 241 | 280 | 265 | 139 | 286 | 605 | 496 | 256 | 369 | 414 | 264 | 176 | 198 | 145 | 317 | 222 | 259 | U | 261 | 264 | 250 |
Air taxi / air toursb | N | N | N | 2,249 | 1,545 | 1,527 | 1,834 | 2,122 | 2,583 | 1,985 | 2,122 | 1,587 | 1,495 | 1,332 | 2,764 | 3,210 | 3,041 | 3,621 | 2,642 | 2,421 | 2,498 | U | 2,794 | 2,738 | 2,925 |
Sightseeingc | N | N | N | N | 309 | 179 | 195 | 127 | 169 | 218 | 197 | 183 | 134 | 175 | 204 | 191 | 171 | 160 | 152 | 119 | 173 | U | 166 | 157 | 176 |
Otherd | 2,422 | 5,139 | 4,925 | 475 | 622 | 1,107 | 656 | 819 | 940 | 535 | 665 | 571 | 628 | 697 | 1,797 | 1,759 | 2,205 | 2,207 | (R) 1,154 | 970 | 886 | U | 1,261 | 974 | 1,052 |
Public usee,f | N | N | N | N | N | N | 1,047 | 1,096 | 1,373 | 1,109 | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | U | N | N | N |
Vehicle-miles (millions)g | 1,769 | 3,207 | 5,204 | 4,548 | 3,358 | 3,795 | 3,524 | 3,877 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Passenger-miles (millions)g | 2,300 | 9,100 | 14,700 | 13,000 | 9,800 | 10,800 | 12,000 | 12,500 | 13,100 | 14,100 | 15,200 | 15,900 | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Fuel consumed, total (million gallons)g | 242 | 759 | 1,286 | 1,016 | 731 | 847 | 896 | 934 | 1,126 | 1,313 | 1,305 | 1,198 | 1,215 | 1,205 | 1,504 | 1,822 | 1,926 | 1,759 | 1,954 | 1,674 | 1,656 | 1,672 | 1,641 | 1,457 | 1,676 |
Aviation gasoline | 242 | 551 | 520 | 353 | 266 | 287 | 289 | 292 | 311 | 345 | 333 | 279 | 277 | 272 | 273 | 295 | 283 | 274 | 248 | 227 | 221 | 216 | 206 | 197 | 210 |
Jet fuel | N | 208 | 766 | 663 | 464 | 560 | 608 | 642 | 815 | 967 | 972 | 918 | 938 | 932 | 1,231 | 1,527 | 1,643 | 1,486 | 1,706 | 1,447 | 1,435 | 1,456 | 1,435 | 1,260 | 1,466 |
SAFETY | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
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Fatalities, totalh | 787 | 1,310 | 1,239 | 770 | 730 | 734 | 636 | 631 | 624 | 621 | 596 | 562 | 581 | 633 | 559 | 563 | 706 | 496 | (R) 496 | 479 | 458 | 452 | 437 | 391 | 419 |
Corporate | N | 28 | 66 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 13 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Business | N | 148 | 126 | 80 | 64 | 73 | 44 | 45 | 42 | 55 | 43 | 50 | 39 | 33 | 45 | 14 | 37 | 25 | 32 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Instructional | N | 93 | 73 | 62 | 47 | 44 | 40 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 64 | 40 | 42 | 71 | 31 | 45 | 47 | 30 | 37 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Personal | N | 726 | 808 | 492 | 472 | 488 | 413 | 432 | 432 | 383 | 386 | 376 | 407 | 444 | 369 | 415 | 369 | 361 | 332 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Aerial application | N | 41 | 32 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 7 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Other | N | 174 | 134 | 95 | 138 | 112 | 119 | 106 | 112 | 105 | 87 | 73 | 77 | 84 | 95 | 72 | 234 | 73 | 89 | U | U | U | U | U | U |
Accidents, total | 4,793 | 4,712 | 3,590 | 2,242 | 2,021 | 2,056 | 1,908 | 1,840 | 1,902 | 1,905 | 1,837 | 1,727 | (R) 1,716 | 1,741 | (R) 1,619 | (R) 1,671 | 1,523 | (R) 1,654 | (R) 1,568 | 1,480 | 1,440 | 1,470 | 1,470 | 1,224 | 1,221 |
Fatal | 429 | 641 | 618 | 444 | 404 | 412 | 361 | 350 | 364 | 340 | 345 | 325 | 345 | 352 | 314 | 321 | 308 | 288 | 277 | 275 | 271 | 269 | 272 | 222 | 253 |
Accident rate (per 100,000 flight hours)i,j | 36.5 | 18.1 | 9.9 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.4 | (R) 6.3 | 6.4 | (R) 5.8 | (R) 6.2 | 5.5 | (R) 5.9 | (R) 6.0 | 6.2 | 5.8 | U | 6.0 | 5.4 | 5.2 |
Fatal | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.0 | (R) 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | U | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
KEY: N = data do not exist; P = preliminary; R = revised; U = data are not available.
a In 1960, 1970, 1980, classified as Industrial.
b Includes Air tours done under 14 CFR 135: Air taxi operators and commercial operators.
c Includes Sightseeing done under 14 CFR 91: general operating and flight rules.
d The significant decrease in Other for 1990 and later can be attributed to a redefinition of the category to only include aerial other, general aviation other, and medical use.
e Federal, state or local government-owned or leased aircraft used for the purpose of fulfilling a government function.
f Beginning in 2000, Public Use was included in Other Work.
g Includes air taxi operations. Nautical miles in source multiplied by 1.151 to convert from nautical miles.
h The sum of Fatalities does not necessarily equal the total due to aircraft involved in midair and on-ground collisions.
i Suicide/sabotage cases are included in Accidents and Fatalities data but are excluded from Accident rates.
j Accident rates are calculated by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) using the formula: Accident Rates (per 100,000 flight hours) = Accidents or Fatalities/Flight Hours (thousands)*100.
NOTES
Numbers may not add to totals due to changes in sub-categories reported by the source, due to estimation and due to rounding.
Total fatalities in this profile may not match those in table 2-14 due to when the total fatalities data were received and the data breakdown by type of flying. NTSB constantly updates and reclassifies accident and fatality data.
1994-95 data for active aircraft by use, and flight hours, have been revised to reflect changes in the adjustment for nonresponse bias based on factors from the 1996 telephone survey.
1996 Vehicle-miles and fuel consumption data are estimated using new information on nonrespondents and are not comparable to earlier years.
SOURCES
Financial:
Expenditure:
1960-2001: Eno Transportation Foundation, Inc., Transportation in America, Annual Issues (Washington, DC), pp. 40 and 45, and similar tables in earlier editions.
Inventory:
Number of active aircraft by primary use, total:
U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Surveys (Washington, DC: 1990-2014 issues), tables 1.2, available at http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/general_aviation/ as of May 23, 2016.
Performance:
Number of flight hours by actual use, total:
Ibid., tables 1.4 and similar tables in earlier editions.
Vehicle-miles and passenger-miles:
1960-2001: Eno Transportation Foundation, Inc., Transportation in America, Annual Issues (Washington, DC), pp. 40 and 45, and similar tables in earlier editions.
Fuel consumed, total:
1960-1990: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, General Aviation and Air Taxi Acitivity and Avionics Survey (Washington, DC: 1990-2000 issues), table 5.1.
1994-2014: Ibid., Aviation Forecasts, (Washington, DC: Annual issues), table 31 and similar tables in earlier editions, available at http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation/ as of March 24, 2016.
Safety:
Fatalities, total:
1960-1970: National Transportation Safety Board, RE-50, personal communication.
1980-2006: Ibid., Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data, U.S. General Aviation, Calendar Year 1998 (Washington, DC: July 2000), charts 27, 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43, and personal communications on Sept. 10, 2002, Dec. 22, 2003, Apr. 30, 2004, Mar. 24, 2005, Nov. 7, 2006, and Oct. 30, 2007.
2007-2014: Ibid., Aviation Accident Statistics, table 10, available at http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/stats.htm as of December 2, 2015, and personal communication on Mar. 04, 2010.
Accidents, total:
1960-80: National Transportation Safety Board, RE-50, personal communication. Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data, U.S. General Aviation, Calendar Year 1998 (Washington, DC: July 2000), table 10, available at http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/ as of July 22, 2004.
1990-2014: Ibid., Aviation Accident Statistics, table 10, available at http://www.ntsb.gov/aviation/stats.htm as of Dec. 2, 2015.