English: U.S.-Manufactured General Aviation Airplanes, by Units and Factory Net Billlings by Years, from 1946 to 2009 (U.S. Dollars adjusted for inflation by the Consumer Price Index to 2009 Dollars)
Units Shipped (individual whole airplanes) and Whole-Dollar Net Factory Billings (U.S. dollars in total sales) as reported by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), 2009 Statistical Databook, as posted by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Transportation, at http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35200/35288/GA_Statistical_Databook_and_Industry_Outlook_0.pdf )
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) used as posted by the Auditor of the State of Ohio, Bulletin 2010-02 April 16, 2010 online at: https://ohioauditor.gov/publications/bulletins/2010/2010-002.pdf )
Factory Net Billings as depicted are Inflation-Adjusted to 2009 dollars, calculated by the graph-author using both sources.
Blue diamond indicates the 1994 date of passage and signing into law of the General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA).
NOTE: Most substantial peaks and valleys in the data correspond to boom-and-bust cycles in the industry, some tied to the general economy (including major recessions). The 35,000 units shipped in 1946 is NOT an error, reflecting abnormally high production, driven by forces in the industry, at that time, related to prior war and grossly mistaken industry estimates of post-war aircraft demand. Zero-based bar graph; no distortions.
For Wikipedia article:
w:General Aviation Revitalization Act