Avionics News April 2014 - 23

S T O R Y

B Y

D A V E

H I G D O N

eneral aviation endures despite an often roller coaster nature, thanks in
part to the diversity of the markets and suppliers. For example, consider
a post-World War II boon of 35,000 general aviation airplanes with a
matching bust to barely 2,100 in 1951.
And so it's gone for more than 65 years. Another spike of 17,800 planes in 1978 that
spiraled to below 1,000 airplanes by 1994 before another smaller boon - to 4,300 planes
in 2007 before the Great Recession sent deliveries down to 2,020 in 2010.
Now, again, new-aircraft deliveries are growing, slowly. The General Aviation
Manufacturers Association reported 2013 new-aircraft shipments of 2,256 worth
$23.4 billion. This is up for a third year - strong enough to call a trend.
Of course, those grow-and-shrink new-aircraft sales cyRegardless of an aircraft's home base, pilots univercles also directly impact the suppliers of airframe OEMs
sally need some common capabilities - those provided by
(original equipment manufacturers) - avionics makers
modern avionics: navigate, communicate and separate. In
among them.
turn, those international markets help avionics companies
Avionics makers enjoy a level of customer diversity that
achieve their maximum potential.
helps smooth out market fluctuaInternational outlets help make
tions - an upgrade market strengthavionics the $2 billion plus busiened by both avionics advances and
ness it is today, with estimates of the
"W E C O NS I D E R
new-aircraft costs.
foreign component outside the U.S.
EVE RY TH I NG W E M A K E
There's significant appeal updatrunning between 35 and 45 percent
AS A P RO S P E C T F O R
ing an aircraft to gain the benefits
and growing. It's a slice of business
of the same advances adorning newno company wants to ignore.
INTE R NAT I O N A L S A L E S ,
aircraft panels, particularly since
P ROV I D I NG I T H A S
few new general aviation aircraft
The international compulsion
AP P L I C AT I O N T H E R E ."
improve on speed or fuel efficiency
"Aircraft are mobile assets,"
Tom Harper, Avidyne
compared to those built decades ago
noted Bill Stone, Garmin Internawith analog, transistor-based panels.
tional's senior business developThe international component of
ment manager, a job that includes
the avionics business helps broaden
overseeing product definition, develeveryone's markets. Most avionics products hold internaopment, certification, marketing and support of the comtional appeal equal to their domestic appeal - both as retpany's entire avionics product line. "Here are a couple of
rofit and new-plane products. Credit for the growth interthoughts: The U.S. fleet is sizable, but the fleet is pretty
nationally goes largely to a shift in general aviation growth
significant around the world. It's critical for our products
areas from North America and Europe toward, in particuContinued on following page
lar, Brazil, China, India, the Middle East and Russia.
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Avionics News April 2014

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