Feb. 12, 2025
NBAA is urging its members to take part in the FAA’s 47th Annual General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey (GA Survey), which focuses on 2024 operations and is the only official source of information on the general aviation fleet, the number of hours flown and the ways people use general aviation aircraft.
“The GA Survey is a key tool for understanding business aviation and the broader general aviation landscape,” said Mark Larsen, CAM, NBAA Director of Safety and Flight Operations. “It offers insights into specific operational sectors and plays a vital role in assessing general aviation system safety performance.”
Government agencies and industry used data from this survey to do the following:
- Compute safety metrics, such as fatal accident rates
- Understand the impact of the GA industry on jobs, economic output and investments in aviation infrastructure
- Track the success of safety initiatives
- Determine funding for infrastructure and service needs
- Assess the impact of regulatory changes
Annually, more than 80,000, or about 30% of the population, are sampled, but the sample includes smaller proportions of some aircraft.
Several groups of aircraft are surveyed every year to better understand the aviation activity of high-use groups, such as turbine aircraft, rotorcraft, newer aircraft and Alaska-based aircraft.
Those receiving the survey are asked to respond even if they did not fly their aircraft during 2024, sold it or if the aircraft was damaged.
Participants who are selected will receive an email or postcard invitation asking them to complete the survey online. Those who do not complete the survey online will receive a mail survey, which includes a postage-paid return envelope. The information will only be used for statistical purposes and will not be published or released in any form that would reveal an individual participant.
The survey is conducted by Tetra Tech, an independent research firm that has been conducting an annual survey for the FAA for 25 years. Anyone with questions should contact Tetra Tech at 1-800-826-1797 or email infoaviationsurvey@tetratech.com.
View previous General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey results.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.