• General Aircraft Manufacturers Association (GAMA) Statistics Page

       General Aviation Statistical Databook 2002
       FAA year 2000 data, but a bit easier to read than the FAA publications    
       Pgs. 11 to 15 are reprints of portions of the FAA data referenced below
       Pg. 14 is totally devoted to experimental aircraft fleet data
  

• Aircraft Owner & Pilots Association (AOPA) Statistics Page

      FAA data again
      Selective Aircraft, then Active Aircraft Current & Historical 
      to see Experimental Plane data issued by the FAA Dec 31, 2000.
  

• FAA Data
  • FAA Definitions of Experimental Aircraft Classifications

  • Actual Form Filed by Registrants Seeking Certification of Experimental Aircraft
    Form shows how the exactly how the classification data is collected

  • FAA Aviation Demand Forecasts and Assumptions General Aviation 2003-2014 Spreadsheet (published 2003)
    See Table I-6 for experimental and sport plane spreadsheet

  • FAA Aviation Demand Forecasts and Assumptions General Aviation 2001-2012 Spreadsheet (published 2001)
    See Table I-5 for experimental plane spreadsheet
    This chart is two years older than the one above, it was provided to allow comparisons with previous forecasts

  • FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2003-2014
    See Table I-6.
    FAA data again, from their Aviation Plans & Policy (APO) site
    • Table 29 Active General Aviation and Air Taxi Aircraft Spreadsheet (includes 2002 estimates)

  • General Aviation and Air Taxi Activity Survey 2001
    The most recent edition web published, published Feb 2003
    • Table 1.2 General Aviation and Air Taxi Number of Active Aircraft by Aircraft Type 1991-2001 Spreadsheet (Aircraft in Thousands)
      Includes a calculation of standard error of their data

    • Table 3.1 2001 General Aviation and Air Taxi Number of Aircraft by Primary Use by Aircraft Type Spreadsheet
      Indicates various types of activities / uses of the craft
      Has a line for experimental aircraft

    • Table 3.2 2001 General Aviation and Air Taxi Total Hours Flown by Actual Aircraft Type Spreadsheet
      Indicates actual hours flown by experimental aircraft in the various activities

    • Table 3.3 2001 General Aviation and Air Taxi Number of Aircraft by Public Use and Rental Hours by Aircraft Type Spreadsheet
      Indicates number of hours flown by experimental aircraft as by public or rental

    • Table 6.1 2001 Total Airframe Hours per Aircraft Spreadsheet
      Provides the total number of experimental aircraft by classification, the percentage of those that are active, and their average airframe hours by classification

    • FAA "sort of" approved List of Kit Manufacturers
      The FAA does not provide an "approved list", but does provide this list.

  • FAA Registration Data
    The FAA maintains a large database of registered planes, similar to the database of boats and ships maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The database available online for free in deliminated text format. You have to supply your own database program (such as Access), download and expand the files (actually composed of several databases), import the databases into your database program, "join" the databases to gain access to the full range of data for each registration, then provide your own queries, forms, pivot tables, etc to display the data.
    • FAA Registration Data Download Site

    • We prepared a separate discussion of the FAA Registration Database as a MS Word Document, as an Excel Pivot Table, and as an Excel database of single engine, fixed wing, Amateur-built Experimental aircraft.

  • Kitplane magazine
    • Industry Growth: The Plane Fact
      Graph of sales of kitplane kits and plans. Data is for world wide sales of North American manufacturers and includes experimental planes, ultralights and powered parachutes. Kitplane estimates 40 to 60 percent of these sales are outside the United States. Also NOTE the horizontal axis changes its rate of increment (from two years per data point to one year per data point) in the middle of the chart. This makes the recent upward trend look longer on the time axis.

    • Kitplanes Magazine Survey Comparisons
      Reader survey provides data on their current and future planes and engines

  ---

• New Light-Sport Aircraft and Sport Pilot Rule Proposed

  A new classification of planes is anticipated to be created in late 2003. Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) will basically be kitplanes that have been completed by the manufacturer (or almost completed). Currently to qualify as a kit plane and avoid the costly FAA certification process, individuals must supply 51 percent of the work to build the plane. Many potential aviators do not want to spend that much time building a plane. The Sport Pilot part of the rule removes FAA medical restrictions. It allows you to fly if you can get a drivers license (drivers license meets the medical qualifications, you still have to get flight training). Many older pilots can no longer pass the FAA physical. Together, these new rules provide an alternative to both the "do not want to build" and "I cant pass the physical" issues. It has already caused quite a stir in the industry. Many anticipate a rush to fill pent up demand when the rule is officially approved.

  As proposed
  Maximum of two occupants. 
  Maximum take-off weight of 1232 pounds
  No medical certificate required (need drivers license)
  No longer have to build 51 percent
  Single engine
  Several other requirements
  

  • FAA Proposes Sport Pilot and Light Sports Rule

  • The FAA Sport Pilot NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making)

  • EAA Sport Pilot magazine
    Excellent articles on the new sport pilot plane classification and standards

  • FAA Sport Pilot home page

  • AOPA Sport Pilot page

  • Official Comments to the Proposed Regulation

       Docket # FAA-2001-11133
       Create the light sport aircraft class 
    
       Over 2,500 comments to the sport aircraft proposal
       have been filed. Many of those filed by manufacturers
       include comments about their production volumes.
       To view them, enter     11133      into the
    
     Dept of Transportation Docket Management System search box.
    
       Industry data and statistics can often be found in the 
       comments from manufacturers and organizations.
       Since many are listed by the commenter name vs. company,
       If you are not aware of the peoples names, they can
       sometimes be identified because many of them are
       larger files than most of the others (more comments).
       Among them are comments from SAMA,
       the United States Ultralight Association,
       GAMA, 
       the EAA, 
       AOPA, and
       Buckeye Industries.
       
       
    

  ---

• Ultralights

  True one seater ultralights do not have to be registered and do not require a pilots license.

  FAR Part 103 Ultralight Regulations
  

  Basically, you do not have to register the craft if has 
  one engine and weighs less than 254 pounds empty, has 
  a top speed of less than 55 knots, holds less than 5 gallons 
  of fuel and has only one seat.
  Some statistical sources (like Kitplane magazine) report
  much many more kitplane sales than those registered by 
  the FAA. This is in part due to many of the kits being
  ultralights that do not require registration.
  Some individuals do go ahead and register their ultralight
  for insurance purposes. Plus, two seater ultralights must be 
  registered, such as Amateur Built Experimental.
  It appears ultralights will become Sport Pilots under
  the new proposed Sport Pilot rule and require registration.
  

  • United States Ultralight Association

  • USUA Insider Summer 2003
    Page 2 explains how many ultralights will fall under the new sport pilot category and require registration)

  ---

• Articles and Technical Papers Covering the Industry

  Flying High with the Self-Build Movement
  Reinforced Plastics 
  Jan 2002. Pgs. 26-30
  
  3,000th Kitfox Goes Out the Door
  Flying
  Feb. 1998. Pg 1.
  SkyStar recently shipped their 3,000 Kitfox kitplane.
  
  Unsafe at Any Speed
  Time Australia
  27 Oct. 1997
  (report on experimental and ultralight plane safety on eve of John Denver's
  crash says nearly 30,000 experimental and ultralight planes are currently flying, 
  with about 1,000 more joining them every year).
  
  Business Takes Off for Zenith Aircraft
  Columbia Tribune
  Sept. 22, 2001
  
  Lancair Unveils Turbine-Powered Kitplane
  Flying
  May 2001. Pg. 41.
  (Lancair introduces Walter 601E turboprop kitplane)
  
  Lycoming Introduces 210 HP IO-390-X Engine July 2002 Press Release
  
  Groen Brothers Aviation's American Autogyro Susidiary 
  to Debut its SparrowHawk Gyroplane at National Aviation 
  Events. Market Wire. 19 June 2003.
  The SparrowHawk is a turbine powered gyroplane 
  from Groen Brothers Aviation
  
  
  
  Aviation and Space Weekly References:
  
     Growth in Sports Flying Bucks Strong Headwinds:
     Attracting More People to Personal Aviation May Be Difficult
     if Cost and Security Issues are Not Mitigated
     Edward H. Phillips
     Aviation Week & Space Technology
     July 15, 2002. Pg. 56
  
     Sport Aviation at the Crossroads Experimental Aircraft Assn. is Tackling
     Crucial Issues that Threaten to Suppress Future Growth of Personal Flying.
     Edward H. Phillips
     Aviation Week & Space Technology
     July 28, 2003. Pg. 58.
  
     Air Venture Sets Pace for Sport Aviation
     Edward H. Phillips
     Aviation Week & Space Technology
     Aug. 5, 2002. Pg. 36.
  
     Lycoming President Casts Doubt on New Piston Engines
     Aviation Week & Space Technology
     Aug. 18, 2003 Pg. 15.
  
     Kit-Built Aircraft Fuel Renaissance in Industry Dominated by Old Designs
     Edward H. Phillips
     Aviation Week & Space Technology
     Dec. 18 and Dec 25, 1989. Pg. 93.
  
  Dayton Daily News References
  
     Aviation Lovers on Tight Budgets Build Their Airplanes at Home
     Timothy Gaffney
     Dayton Daily News
     28 July 2002
  
     Adventure Oshkosh; FAA Backs Making Sport Flying Easier
     Timothy Gaffney
     Dayton Daily News
     1 Aug. 2003
  

  ---

• Organizations

  • Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)

  • General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

  • Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association (SAMA)

  • Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA)

  • United States Ultralight Association

  • Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA)

  ---

• Aviation and Manufacturer Links

  • Roberts RV-7 Experimental Airplane Site
    Excellent documentation of how an individual thought, bought, and assembled a kit

  • Landings.Com
    The major site for small craft aviation

  • Be A Pilot A "grow the industry" program

  • SkyStar
    Well known, long time builder of Kitfox kit planes

  • Lancair
    A major manufacturer of kitplanes and small FAA certified planes

  • Zenith Aircraft
    A major manufacturer of kitplanes
    • Zenith reports they have sold over 2,000 kits

  • Lycoming
    A major engine manufacturer for kitplanes

  • Continental
    A major engine manufacturer for kitplanes

  • Groen Brothers Aviation
    Manufacture small turbine powered gyroplanes

  • DynaCam a new swashplate type engine targeting the Kit plane industry

  ---

• NASA Programs

  NASA has recently worked on several programs to boost General Aviation. NASA's efforts include encouraging the develop two new power plants, concepts for small business aviation and attempting to reduce the time required to qualify new designs. These projects are focused on small business aircraft, but the some of the technologies may trickle down into kitplanes and experimental aircraft.
  • Light Plane Technologies Coming to Market. Florida Today: Space Online. 1 Aug. 1998.

  • GAP (General Aviation Propulsion Program)
    Developed new piston and turbine engines for small craft
    Williams FJX-2 turbine

  • Article on Piston Component of NASA GAP Program
    Excellent background information on small aircraft engines (Lycoming, Continental)
    A version of this article appeared in the March 1997 issue of Aviation Consumer

  • AGATE (Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments Consortium)
    This is the group behind the SATS program (see below)
    • SATS (Small Aircraft Transportation System)
      Univ of Omaha SATS site
      Small, easy to fly business planes

    • SATS Presentation at Langley in 1999

    • Southeast SATS Lab

  ---

• Our Comments About Some of the Forecasts on This Page

  The kitplane industry is currently in a very dynamic period and it appears like it will remain in one for the next few years. Forecasts, such as those provided by the FAA need read with "a grain of salt." The kitplane industry rapidly grew from the mid-1980's to what it is today. Things appeared somewhat today. Things appeared somewhat stable, with a lot of sales growth coming from overseas sales. Now all of a sudden several new variables (some positive and some negative) have entered the picture, as well as some existing ones have become more important. It will be much more difficult to accurately forecast kitplane sales over the next few years than it has been in the past due to:
  • National and local security issues are a major concern. It is more difficult to fly in many areas that it was prior Sept. 11th. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are being issued by the dozens, including a wide swath around the path of Air Force One. Plus they include many scenic areas that were previously great places to fly over.

  • Pending creation of the Light Sports Aircraft and Sport Pilot classifications - allowing purchase of completed planes at fractions of todays completed (FAA certified) plane prices and flying without a FAA medical certificate.
  • Difficulties in insuring kitplanes.

  • Increasing importance of the international market.

  • Growth of shared ownership programs / structures.

  • Several firms are trying to introduce new engine (power plant) technologies. A successful entry (reliable, economical, easy to install, powerful, etc) could significantly boost kitplane sales.
    • DeltaHawk's aluminum diesel engine
      • New Engine a Winner on the Battle Field (drone application)
      • Aurora's report on the DeltaHawk engine

    • William's International's success with their FJX-2 (EJ-22) turbine has opened the door for still smaller turbines and turboprop/turboshaft derivatives of the FJX-2 engine.

    • SMA Engines European builder producing diesel aircraft engines

    • Affordable Turbine Power Inc., has developed a turbine specifically for the kit plane market

    • Several have tried installing Solar T-62 turbines in kit planes and small rotowings with varying degrees of success:
      • Collectable Small Gas Turbines Page
        Nice photos and discussion of the turbine

      • Helicycle
        A rotowing, small gyro

      • A Newsgroup Discussion of the Turbine

  • The FAA is trying to encourage consensus standards, but kit manufacturers and the fledgling Sport Pilot group both have a history of being pretty independent. If the factions do not learn to deal with one another, the industry will suffer. Many organizations are somewhat self regulated by consensus standards. They establish a trade organization and impose standards upon themselves to keep the larger government regulators at bay. The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) in the recreational boating industry is an example.

  • Increased fuel costs.

  • Potential regulations (emisisons, noise, city zoning, etc)

  • Aging population of existing pilots

  

• Reference Materials / Researcher Helps

  • SIC and NAICS Codes

    These industry codes can be used to find data in many databases.

    Actual codes are sometimes slightly different, but they should be close to these

    Completed experimental and ultralight planes (along
    with other planes)
    SIC 3721
    NAICS 336411
    
    Kits and parts for experimental and ultralight planes
    (along with parts for other planes)
    SIC 3728
    NAICS 336413
    

  • HARMONIZATION Codes

    These industry codes can be used to find import and export data. The completed plane codes may be helpful in the export data, but the parts codes appear to broad to be of much help.

    8802.20.00
    Airplanes with unladen weight between 450 and
    2,000 kg.   
    
    8802.20.15
    Airplanes with unladen weight not exceeding 450 kg.
    
    8803
    Parts or goods headed for the codes above.
    (includes kits)
    Several more detailed parts codes exist, but they are
    more for the "type of parts" they are vs. the size
    of aircraft they are used to build.
    

  • Search Words

    We found several of these search words and terms helpful in the various databases.

    kitplane, kit plane
    EAA
    light plane
    The NASA terms: AGATE, GAP, SATS
    General Aviation
    Sport aviation
    experimental
    homebuilt, home built
    ultralight
    sport plane
    sport pilot
    sport pilot rule
    FAA
    Company names of the major builders
    

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