AEA Releases Q1 2015 Avionics Market Report

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

In the first three months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $587,100,212.92, or more than $587 million as reported by the participating companies.

The figure represented a 9.9 percent decrease in sales compared to the first-quarter 2014 amount of $651,748,994.12, or more than $651 million. This year's first-quarter sales are more in line with the first-quarter sales of 2013, which totaled $586,006,894.49, or more than $586 million.

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 $587 million in first-quarter 2015 sales, 52.8 percent came from forward-fit (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production) sales. The retrofit (avionics equipment installed after original production) market amounted to 47.2 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, 65.5 percent of the first-quarter sales volume occurred in North America (U.S. and Canada), while 34.5 percent took place in other international markets.

"The first-quarter decline in sales is somewhat disappointing after the modest 4 percent year-over-year growth noted in the year-end 2014 report," said AEA President Paula Derks. "The rest of 2015 will interesting to watch as the general aviation electronics industry is coming off its largest convention and trade show ever, and expects increased activity around the installation of mandated ADS-B Out equipment. We'll also be paying close attention to the strength of the U.S. dollar and its impact on international sales in the coming quarters."

More information about the AEA Avionics Market Report is available HERE.

History and Background Information:

The AEA first introduced its Avionics Market Report March 26, 2013, during the 56th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Prior to 2012, there never had been an effort to capture the true dollar size of the business and general aviation avionics market. The concept to produce the AEA Avionics Market Report began in April 2012, when the AEA formed an ad hoc committee comprised of representatives of avionics manufacturers to create a tool for strategic planning and examining market share.

"This report provides valuable information to promote the business and general aviation avionics industry to investors and inform elected officials of its global economic value," Derks said when the report was first introduced.

Avionics Market Report LogoTo ensure confidentiality, the participating manufacturing companies submit their sales figures to an independent third-party firm retained to produce the AEA Avionics Market Report. The companies currently participating in the report include:

• Accord Technology
• Alto Aviation
• Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp.
• Appareo Systems
• Aspen Avionics
• BendixKing
• Cool City Avionics
• FreeFlight Systems
• Garmin
• Genesys Aerosystems
• Gogo Business Aviation
• Honeywell Business & General Aviation
• ICG
• Jupiter Avionics
• Latitude Technologies
• L-3 Aviation Products
• Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics
• PS Engineering
• Rockwell Collins
• Sandia Aerospace
• Shadin Avionics
• Trig Avionics
• Universal Avionics Systems Corp.

The number of companies that participate in the AEA Avionics Market Report may change on a quarterly and/or annual basis, and any comparative analysis of the data should take this into consideration.

About Aircraft Electronics Association

Founded in 1957, the Aircraft Electronics Association represents nearly 1,300 member companies in 43 countries, including government-certified international repair stations specializing in maintenance, repair and installation of avionics and electronic systems in general aviation aircraft. The AEA membership also includes manufacturers of avionics equipment, instrument repair facilities, instrument manufacturers, airframe manufacturers, test equipment manufacturers, major distributors, engineers and educational institutions.