Business jet deliveries started the year slowly, according to statistics released last month by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association ( GAMA ). Totals in the first quarter this year were lower than those in the beginning of 2014, with manufacturers handing over 133 bizjets in the first three months compared with 154 in 1Q 2014, equating to a 13.6-percent slide. The results mark the first year-over-year quarterly decline in deliveries since the third quarter of 2013. At the same time, according to the organization, overall airplane billings logged a year-over-year decline in the quarter for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2012, falling by more than 12 percent, to $4.5 billion, from the same period last?year.

“ The first-quarter numbers show that while our industry has been gaining traction over the past few years, we face some renewed headwinds in several regions of the world, including Asia, parts of Europe and Latin America,” said Pete Bunce, GAMA ’s president and CEO . With the builders of several new jets either ramping up production or anticipating certification by year-end?a list that includes the HondaJet, Embraer Legacy 450 and 500, Cessna Citation Latitude and Bombardier Challenger 650?several OEM s have said they expect deliveries to be backloaded toward the second half of?the?year.

Among the major business jet manufacturers, Bombardier was alone in recording a slight gain year-over-year; the three additional Learjet 70/75s it handed over in the first quarter of the year contributed to a 4.7-percent climb from 2014’s?numbers.

In Savannah, Gulfstream delivered eight fewer of its large-cabin offerings in the first quarter of 2015, but in terms of green aircraft it was only one off the pace set last year. While acknowledging some softness in the Russian, Latin American and Chinese markets, Phebe Novakovic, CEO of parent company General Dynamics, noted the airframer has no intention of reducing production levels this year. The company expects large-cabin deliveries to approximate last year’s totals and midsize model deliveries to climb by 10 from last?year.

Textron subsidiary Cessna , while delivering two fewer aircraft year-over-year for a 5.7-percent decrease, reported a mixed bag: half of the eight models in its current line-up experienced more deliveries, while the other half saw?fewer.

One Aviation , the merged Eclipse Aerospace and Kestrel Aviation , delivered a pair of Eclipse 550s in the first three months of the year, down from five in the same period last?year.

Dassault noted three fewer Falcon deliveries in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period last year, while Embraer saw a 40-percent decline in first-quarter deliveries of all models except for the recently introduced Legacy 500. The Brazilian airframer has said it expects deliveries of its large executive jets to climb this year by at least 50 percent over?2014.

In the bizliner segment, Airbus reported no deliveries in the first quarter of the year, while Boeing posted three, including its first private 777- 300ER . Embraer did not deliver any Lineage 1000s in the?period.

Turboprop?Sector

While turboprop deliveries overall declined by 8 percent, the pressurized turboprop segment logged a first-quarter gain of 7.5 percent year over year, led by Daher and Piper, which added six TBM 900s and five Meridians, respectively, to their totals for the first three months of last year. Textron subsidiary Beechcraft improved on its first-quarter 2014 output by three aircraft as well, while Pilatus held steady with seven PC -12s. Piaggio will defer reporting its delivery totals until?year-end.

Rotorcraft Continue To?Slide

The commercial helicopter industry saw a downturn in first-quarter deliveries of 18.3 percent year-over-year, while billings declined 17.9 percent from the first quarter of 2014, to $0.8 billion. In the turbine-powered segment, the erosion was less severe, with 138 civil helicopters delivered in the first quarter versus 152 during the same period in the previous year, a decline of 11.2?percent.

On the plus side, Robinson Helicopters boosted production of the R66 by three, year-over-year, while Textron subsidiary Bell exceeded its first-quarter 2014 delivery total by one. Airbus Helicopters noted a 20-percent decline in deliveries between the first quarter of 2014 and the same period this year, attributable largely to slower deliveries of the H125 (formerly AS350B3 e), of which 13 were delivered in the first quarter, nine fewer than in the same period last year. AgustaWestland handed over two fewer rotorcraft in the first quarter than it did last year, despite adding three AW189 s to its tally from last year. Sikorsky delivered 12 commercial helicopters (types unspecified) in the first three months of 2014. The United Technologies subsidiary delivered five S-92s in the first quarter of this?year.

Amid this chilly market, Bunce noted the crucial assistance of the U.S. Export-Import Bank and urged lawmakers to stop using it as a political football, stating that industry jobs are at stake. “Our industry is focused on regaining momentum, but we need the U.S. Congress to be a strong partner and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank before the June 30 deadline,” he said. “Congress needs to move ahead and pass reauthorization quickly to ensure a level global playing field and provide needed stability in a difficult market.”