Despite a decline in orders, sales, and exports from 2005's exceptional second quarter, third quarter results were strong when viewed with a longer perspective. For example, industry orders, at nearly $47 billion, reached their second highest level since 2000. Similarly, civil exports logged their second highest level since 1999 and sales reached their third highest since AIA started tracking quarterly indicators in 1997. Industry profits increased to $3.3 billion and are on pace to set a current-dollar record this year, while the aerospace workforce steadily grows (on a quarterly basis) despite a major work stoppage in September.

In Billions of Current Dollars	3Q 2005	2Q 2005	% Change 2Q05 to 3Q05	3Q 2004	2004 Year-End	2003 Year-End
Aerospace Sales	$46.27	$50.18	-7.8%	$45.80	$184.42	$171.71
Profits	$3.29	$3.14	4.6%	$2.39	$9.50	$7.24
Orders	$46.75	$59.74	-21.7%	$40.01	$161.84	$148.30
Exports--Total	$15.85	$18.80	-15.7%	$13.63	$56.82	$52.50
Exports--Civil	$13.38	$15.94	-16.1%	$11.53	$47.33	$44.06
Exports--Military	$2.47	$2.86	-13.7%	$2.10	$9.49	$8.44
Employment (in thousands)	617	614	0.5%	598	607	583

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