Business Aircraft Flight Activity Still Increasing

Business aircraft flight activity increased 5.3 percent in December from year-ago levels, according to aviation-services firm ARG/US. However, January numbers were down 2.8 percent from December, and the year-over-year increase fell short of analysts' predictions of double-digit flight activity gains during the first half of 2010. Compared with a year ago, turboprop activity was up the most, by 8 percent. Activity was also up for large-cabin jets (6.5 percent), midsize jets (4.9 percent) and light jets (2.1 percent). Part 91 flying increased 8.6 percent, while flights by Part 135 charter operators were up 2.8 percent and fractional flying was down 0.8 percent. The ARG/US figures are based on serial-number-specific aircraft arrival-and-departure information on all instrument-flight-rules flights in the U.S.