The latest figures from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association show that 2024 was a good year for piston airplane sales, which increased 4.2% over 2023 with the deliveries of 1,772 airplanes.
And for the 23rd year in a row, Cirrus Aircraft tops the list of best-selling piston airplanes, taking the No. 1, No. 4, and No. 5 spots.
Other big names in the GA business are also on the list, including Piper, Diamond, and the Cessna 172.
No. 1: Cirrus SR22T: 364 sold
No. 2: Piper PA-28-181 Archer/Pilot 100i: 182 sold
No. 3: Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP: 164 sold
No. 4: Cirrus SR22: 145 sold
No. 5: Cirrus SR20: 121 sold
No. 6: Diamond DA40 (all models): 95 sold
No. 7: Tecnam P2008JC: 76 sold
No. 8: Diamond DA62: 64 sold
No. 9: Tecnam P-Mentor: 56 sold
No. 10: Diamond DA42 (all models): 53 sold
You can see the full list of 2024 sales at GAMA.aero.
Cirrus came out in 1999 and was a a new model of aircraft. Unfortunately the company is now owned by China and the Engine (Continental) is also owned by China…….
I look at this as alarming that a country that would like to see America fail……and hated by the CCP own our technology.
Lots of things I like about the Cirrus. The line has done much to promote GA. They perform pretty well and look good. Like Bonanzas did decades ago they draw lots into GA which is good but money or an airplane does not instantly make a proficient pilot. That being said my opinion and preference is a metal airplane although there are lots of pros and cons to all the various materials used to build aircraft. I’d also prefer not to have the BRS, my thoughts are yes there can be times when the chute saves the bacon but an expensive mandatory repack is an expense that could be used for maintenance while also getting a boost in useful. I guess the biggest thorn I have about the line is how the success of one brand has hurt the other brands but it’s all about competition and which company has the best product, best support, and best company management. Like I said I prefer metal airplanes but I’d still fly a Cirrus. The gotta be pretty darn good or they wouldn’t be so popular. I fly a Mooney and love it but times change and those plastic planes are sleek and fast so maybe one day!
Bit of a misleading impression, because it excludes Experimentals, which have confirmed first flight numbers which rival sales figures for certified airplanes.
What would your leader-board look like if you included Vans?
It truly is amazing that the uninformed buy a Cirrus, that barely has a wing… sold on the basis of SPEED… not safety. You’d ALL be better off with a Cessna wing and Para-Lift flaps, that will ALWAYS save your bacon… and WITHOUT A PARACHUTE!
Shouldn’t the SR22 be ranked #4 with 145 sold, behind Piper PA-28 at 182 units and behind the Cessna 172 at 164 units?
Right you are Amy. Great catch. That got by both Janice and myself. Post has been updated.
It would be interesting to know, how many used aircraft are sold every year.
It would also be interesting to know how many experimental aircraft are registered every year, especially the Vans RV series.!
Part 23 aircraft