Sales Up 13 Percent Over 2017 Levels

The Aircraft Electronics Association released its first-quarter 2018 Avionics Market Report. In the first three months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $639,796,979 as reported by the participating companies.

The figure represented a 13 percent increase in total sales compared to the first-quarter 2017 amount of $566,179,780.61.

The dollar amount reported (using net sales price, not manufacturer's suggested retail price) includes: all business and general aviation aircraft electronic sales -- including all component and accessories in cockpit/cabin/software upgrades/portables/certified and noncertified aircraft electronics; all hardware (tip to tail); batteries; and chargeable product upgrades from the participating manufacturers. The amount does not include repairs and overhauls, extended warranty or subscription services.

Of the more than $639 million in first-quarter 2018 sales, 56.8 percent came from the retrofit market (avionics equipment installed after original production), while forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production) amounted to 43.2 percent of first-quarter sales.

According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America (U.S. and Canada) and other international markets, 76.1 percent of the first-quarter sales volume occurred in North America (U.S. and Canada), while 23.9 percent took place in other international markets.

"The report shows that industry saw a significant increase in sales in both the retrofit and forward-fit markets to begin the year, a positive indicator for the overall health of the industry," said AEA President Paula Derks. "This first-quarter report also comes on the heels of the 2017 year-end report that showed the retrofit market up 20 percent in sales from the previous year. It appears that avionics sales growth has continued into the first three months of 2018."

(Source: AEA news release)

FMI: www.aea.net/marketreport