A strong fourth quarter brought total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales to approximately $2.4 billion for 2015, according to a new report from the Aircraft Electronics Association.
The result left avionics sales 4.4 percent short of 2014 sales, based on figures reported by 21 participating companies. The dollar value of net sales reported does not include repairs and overhauls of avionics, or extended warranty or subscription services, said the organization’s annual Avionics Market Report.
"As noted earlier this year, the report showed some softness in sales during the first nine months of 2015, as sales were down 7.5 percent compared to the first nine months of 2014," said AEA President Paula Derks. "However, that trend reversed itself during the fourth quarter, as sales topped $653 million, a 7.2 [percent] increase from the $609 million in sales during the last three months of 2014.”
Derks pointed to a developing trend indicating that total avionics sales “are now nearly evenly split between the retrofit and forward-fit markets."
Growth of activity to retrofit aircraft with avionics brought that segment’s 2015 market share to 49.1 percent of sales, with the balance being accounted for by “forward fit” activity—the installation of avionics in aircraft during original production.
It was the third consecutive year of retrofit activity increasing its market share, AEA said. In 2013, the retrofit segment’s share of sales was 45.9 percent. The complete report may be viewed here.
AEA introduced its Avionics Market Report on March 26, 2013, during the fifty-sixth annual AEA International Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas to promote the industry to investors and make public policy officials aware of the industry’s “global economic value,” AEA said.
