The Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) has released its 2018 year-end Avionics Market Report. Total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales for 2018 amounted to more than $2.7 billion, as reported by the participating companies.

The dollar amount reported, using net sales price rather than the 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 $2.7 bn in sales in 2018, 57 per cent came from the retrofit market, while forward-fit sales (avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production) amounted to 43 per cent. According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America (US and Canada) and other international markets, 77.7 per cent of the 2018 sales volume occurred in North America while 22.3 per cent took place in other international markets.

“With more than $2.7 bn in worldwide sales, the industry has recorded the largest dollar amount of year-end avionics sales since the reporting process began back in 2012,” says AEA president Paula Derks. "We have now seen eight straight quarters of positive year-over-year sales growth dating back to the end of 2016.”