VLJs Star in FAA's General Aviation Forecast

The active general aviation fleet will grow 1.3 percent annually and ultimately reach 286,500 aircraft in 2025, according to an FAA forecast issued this month.

Even though deliveries of very light jets (VLJs) in 2007 reached a total of only 143, a figure that was severely short of a previous forecast, the FAA believes that 1000 VLJs could be in use by 2010 and an estimated 8145 by 2025.

“We see a strong growth in business aviation demand continuing driven by a growing U.S. and world economy, as well as a growing fleet of very light jets,” the report said.

Next year, the FAA projects that 400 VLJs will become active and that 450-500 will enter the market every year. Due to the influx of new VLJs, the number of general aviation hours flown is projected to increase an average of 3 percent yearly through 2025.