Avionics sales down, with signs of recovery

The half-year tally for 2021 remained north of $1 billion worldwide despite the 7.1-percent decline in total sales from the $1.15 billion recorded in the first six months of 2020, though the association noted that second-quarter sales increased 2.1 percent compared to the same quarter in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic’s disruptive effects began to show. AEA has been tracking and reporting sales of both factory (forward-fit) and retrofit device sales since 2013, and reported double-digit annual percentage increases in 2018 and 2019, followed by a 26-percent decline in 2020, with forward-fit sales for 2020 slipping below $1 billion for the second time in the report’s history to the lowest total to date, down to $980 million.

Global supply chain disruptions have affected a wide range of consumer products and services, and AEA President Mike Adamson noted in a press release that the industry continues to navigate that and other ongoing challenges.

“While it’s encouraging to see a modest increase in sales compared to the second quarter of last year, this report is somewhat mixed as it ended a string of sales increases over the preceding nine months,” Adamson said. “The avionics industry is still facing some headwinds with various supply chain issues and global travel restrictions. With new products and services entering the market, the resounding success of recent trade shows and resilient consumers, there are still positive signs for general aviation to continue its climb.”