TRAQPak reveals highest flight hours since 2008

Photo: Papas Dos

Aviation research and investment firm TRAQPak has revealed that business jets flew more than three million flight hours last year in the US – the highest figures since 2008.

TRAQPak’s 2017 Business Aviation Aircraft Activity Review shows that 2017 flight hours are up 3.9% from the 2.9 million hours flown in 2016, reaching 3.02 million. This is the highest growth rate since 2014.

2017 also saw year-on-year increases in activity each month and Thursday continues to be the busiest day of the week for flight activity in the US.

Flight hours in 2017 were up for Part 91 (private non-commercial), Part 135 (commercial charter), and Fractional charter over 2016. Part 91 flights were up 0.1% in total and Part 135 flight hours saw a substantial 9.2% increase, and Fractional increased 4.7%. The only flights that saw a decrease from 2016 were Part 91 turboprop flights, falling 1.3%, and small cabin flights falling 0.7%.

The review includes all arrival and departure information on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) Flights in the US (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, and the Caribbean.

The full report was published by ARGUS International and can be read here.