AEA: worldwide avionics sales at $1.6 billion, down 5 percent quarter over quarter

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo., 9 Sept. 2013. Total worldwide avionics sales amounted to more than $1.6 billion in the second quarter of 2013 (the months of April, May, and June 2013), as reported by the 20 aviation electronics manufacturers participating in the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Avionics Market Report.

The quarterly report provides a collective sales figure, which includes forward-fit and retrofit sales for the current time period revealed by participating manufacturers. The dollar amount (using net sales price, not manufacturer's suggested retail price) includes: all aircraft electronic sales, including all component and accessories in cockpit/cabin/software upgrades/portables/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.

The second quarter sales were five percent less than what was reported in the first quarter 2013 report, which amounted to $1,706,006,894.49, or more than $1.7 billion.

"Although there was a slight decrease in the amount of sales compared to the first quarter of this year, the industry is still on pace to outperform the total year-end sales from 2012, which amounted to more than $6.3 billion," explains Paula Derks, president of the Aircraft Electronics Association. "It's important to remember that the AEA Avionics Market Report is still in its first year of existence, and it has not had the opportunity to gather and report a complete year's worth of data on a quarter-by-quarter basis. However, as we move forward in time and the report evolves into its second and third phases, we certainly will be better able to analyze and compare current sales against the same time period from previous years. I expect the report eventually will reveal the impact of seasonal and economic trends as well as upcoming equipment mandates, among other things in the years ahead."

The AEA first introduced its Avionics Market Report March 26, 2013, during the 56th annual AEA International Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nev. During the event's Opening Ceremonies, the association reported the total year-end international avionics sales for 2012 amounted to $6,279,317,197.54, or nearly $6.3 billion.

Today's announcement marks the second quarterly report following the initial announcement in March. In addition, the first year of reporting also will establish a baseline to compare future total avionics sales against the same time period the previous year.

"Never before has there been a true capture of the dollar size of the general aviation electronics market," Derks adds. "Not only will this report be useful to our membership in strategic planning and examining market share, but it will be valuable information to promote our industry to the aviation community, investors, and most importantly, when informing our elected officials of the value of the industry to the global economy."

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

• Accord Technology
• Aircell
• Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp.
• Aspen Avionics
• Bendix/King
• Cobham (Mineral Wells)
• Cool City Avionics
• FreeFlight Systems
• Garmin
• Honeywell Business & General Aviation
• ICG
• Jupiter Avionics
• Latitude Technologies
• L-3 Aviation Products
• Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics
• Rockwell Collins
• Sandia Aerospace
• Shadin Avionics
• Trig Avionics
• Universal Avionics Systems Corp.