Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales increased 13.2 percent between the first quarters of 2019 and 2018 to $724 million, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s first quarter 2019 Avionics Market Report released May 9. The total, which was up from more than $639 million in the first three months of 2018, includes more than $388 million in retrofit sales and more than $336 million in forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production), the report said.
“While it is likely that ADS-B installations in the United States are a contributing factor to the increase in year-over-year sales as we get closer to the FAA's equipage deadline, those are fairly straightforward installations,” AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson said. “Our member repair stations report that they are also doing an increasing number of full-panel retrofits. Installations of new electronic flight displays, digital autopilots, engine monitor systems, in-flight connectivity, and other technologies are keeping the shops extremely busy, and the ongoing work has helped drive an increase in year-over-year sales for nine straight quarters.”
Of the AEA members that break out sales geographically, North America accounted for 76.1 percent of sales, with other international markets accounting for the remaining 23.9 percent.
AEA's data is based on 23 manufacturers that confidentially report their sales to an independent third party. Dollar amounts that are reported are net sales price, not manufacturer’s suggested retail price, and cover all business and general aviation aircraft electronics sales, including all components and accessories in the cockpit and cabin, software upgrades, portables, and certified and noncertified aircraft electronics, as well as all hardware from tip to tail, batteries, and chargeable product upgrades. The sales figures don’t include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty, or subscription services.