Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales last year climbed 6.5 percent, to nearly $2.37 billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association’s 2021 Avionics Market Report. This puts last year’s sales on par with those from 2017 but below the $3 billion peak recorded in 2019. During the fourth quarter, sales rose 7.4 percent from a year earlier.
Of the 2021 avionics sales, 54.6 percent were from the retrofit market, with forward-fit sales accounting for the remainder. By world region, 75.2 percent of these sales were from the U.S. and Canada, while 24.8 percent took place in other international markets.
“Industry sales have been steadily climbing for six straight quarters after bottoming out in the second quarter of 2020,” said AEA President and CEO Mike Adamson. “As the industry continues to recover from the initial jolt of the pandemic, avionics manufacturers are now dealing with supply chain issues that may impact sales through 2022. As a result, many OEMs are engaged in ongoing and proactive communications with their dealers and navigating through increasing lead times for some products.”
According to AEA, the sales amounts include all components and accessories in cockpit/cabin/software upgrades/portables/certified and noncertified aircraft electronics; all hardware; batteries; and chargeable product upgrades. They do not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty, or subscription services.