Avionics News May 2021 - 54

2020 IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR
Continued from page 53

to $716 million. Chabbert noted that the need for pilots,
especially younger pilots, is still high and even during
the pandemic year of 2020 as U.S. student starts were 3%
higher than the year before. Piston helicopter shipments
declined by 20.7% in 2020, and billings were $60 million.
Turbine helicopter shipments declined 16.9%, but the
figure will be adjusted to less of a drop when Leonardo
reports its fourth-quarter results for its year. Industry-wide
billings reported so far were $2.7 billion for 2020, and
Leonardo's results will be added to that figure.
" We're facing new constraints besides the one that has
to do with fighting the pandemic and keeping employees
safe, " Chabbert said. " But we are also seeing supply chain
constraints, and we have raised that concern. And also
border restrictions that we are seeing can slow down our
ability to deliver aircraft or to have people take delivery
of the aircraft. "

A year of COVID-19 but
new entrants continue
Chabbart was speaking on Feb. 24 from the National
Press Club in Washington, D.C., at a virtual press
conference. A year ago, the Press Club room where the
press conference took place was packed with industry
representatives. Bunce reflected on the 12 months that have
passed. " When we were here together a year ago, none
of us could have predicted that factories would be closed
down for up to six weeks, that business aircraft jets and
turboprops couldn't be used to conduct business as they
either couldn't get across national borders or there simply
wouldn't be business to conduct. Our rotorcraft couldn't
operate out in the energy sector because the whole market
for energy simply collapsed and everyone was shuttered. "
Then after reports began to surface about a virus in China
and lockdowns progressed, the industry became proactive.
" We started to figure out how to work with federal, state
and local governments and at the international level with
national authorities, and to manage through that period of

AVweb:

Not for wanna-be's or used-to-be's.
Over 230,000 news-hungry
subscribers,
More than 82% are owner-pilots
who fly and buy.
AVwebFlash and AVwebBiz e-newsletters are
published four days weekly, providing the
latest GA news to active owner-pilots who
want to keep up with the latest industry
news, new products and technology-delivered
to their iPhones, iPads, Androids, tablets
and desktops.
AVweb advertisers including Avidyne,
Aspen Avionics, BendixKing, Bose, Flightcom,
ForeFlight and Sennheiser know that Avweb
delivers.

That's because AVweb subscribers are techsavvy, owner-pilots who fly and buy-not
wanna-be's or used-to-be's.
They want news they can use: expert video
in-flight demos, new product analysis and
comparison, industry commentary and blogs,
and now, features about proficiency, safety
and the emergence of restored, rebuilt and
remanufactured aircraft.
You read AVweb, your customers read AVweb.
It's free and it's fast.
Find out how AVweb advertising, webinars
and videos can deliver customers for you.
Ask about special ad rates for AEA members. Call Tom Bliss at 602-625-6815.
Or, email: tom@avweb.com.

The world's premier independent GA news source.
54

avionics news

*

may

2021
http://www.avweb.com
Avionics News May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News May 2021
