This volume serves as a comprehensive reference guide to the state of the aviation and aerospace industries during the 1996 calendar year. Editor Richard L. Larson compiles statistical data, organizational directories, and technical summaries to provide a snapshot of the sector's operational landscape. The text functions as a centralized repository for industry professionals seeking historical data on fleet sizes, regulatory bodies, and aerospace manufacturing output from the mid-1990s.

Experts and industry historians utilize this almanac as a primary source for verifying historical data points regarding the mid-90s aerospace market. Readers frequently note the high density of tabular data and the utility of the directory listings for archival research purposes.