The general aviation fleet in the U.S. will continue to grow over the next 20 years, but at a rate of only 0.9 percent per year, the FAA said in its annual forecast, released on Tuesday. Fixed-wing turbine aircraft will sell best, growing at a projected rate of 3.1 percent each year. Rotorcraft are projected to sell 2.6 percent more each year, while fixed-wing pistons show the slowest growth, at only 0.2 percent per year. The FAA used the forecast release, which predicts U.S. air traffic overall will more than double by 2031, to push for NextGen funding. "We are already seeing the tangible safety and efficiency benefits of NextGen," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "Only a modernized air transportation system will be able to keep up with our forecasted demand."
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/faa-predicts-slow-growth-for-ga