Finally ending its multi-quarter decline, aerospace employment increased in the second quarter, as did all the other indicators except orders. Employment rose by 7,000, on a quarterly average basis, from a 50-year low level set in the first quarter. Despite the 1.7% decline in orders this quarter to a decent $39 billion, demand for aerospace products is generally rising--sales and exports both rose 4%. Profits increased strongly--up 15%.

In Billions of Current Dollars	2Q 2004	1Q 2004	% Change 1Q04 to 2Q04	2Q 2003	2003 Year-End	2002 Year-End
Aerospace Sales	$45.53	$43.72	4.1%	$42.44	$171.71	$159.58
Profits	$2.59	$2.25	15.1%	$1.40	$7.24	$6.55
Orders	$38.68	$39.34	-1.7%	$37.92	$147.74	$139.72
Exports--Total	$14.61	$14.01	4.3%	$13.13	$52.50	$56.78
Exports--Civil	$11.82	$11.56	2.2%	$10.95	$44.06	$47.35
Exports--Military	$2.79	$2.45	14.0%	$2.19	$8.44	$9.43
Employment (in thousands)	577	570	1.1%	587	574	603

For more information about AIA's Statistics, please contact stats@aia-aerospace.org.