Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales plunged 37.3 percent, to $490.7 million, in the second quarter as the market hit its expected pandemic-induced low point, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s latest Avionics Market Report. In the first six months of 2020, avionics sales amounted to $1.15 billion, down 23.6 percent from the same period a year ago, it added.
During the first half, 53.3 percent of those sales came from the retrofit market, while forward-fit sales accounted for the remainder. According to the companies that separated their total sales figures by world region, 74.6 percent of the first-half sales occurred in the U.S. and Canada, while 25.4 percent took place in the rest of the world.
“Realizing a substantial decrease in worldwide avionics sales during the second quarter was the expectation in light of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson. “The economic impact of the disease has been significant, and the business and general aviation electronics industry is not immune to the crisis. However, I remain optimistic that our industry will be poised for recovery.”
Avionics dollar amounts reported by AEA are based on net sales prices and include all business and general aviation aircraft electronic sales—component and accessories, tip-to-tail hardware, batteries, and chargeable product upgrades from the participating manufacturers. Excluded are repairs and overhauls, extended warranty, and subscription services.