In the first three months of the year, total worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales amounted to $634,546,020.43, as reported by the participating companies. So says the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) in its first quarter 2022 Avionics Market Report.

First quarter sales increased 4.8 per cent sequentially from the fourth quarter of 2021, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of increasing sales.

The figure represented an 11.6 per cent increase in total sales compared to the first quarter 2021 amount of $568,810,353. This increase was driven by a 34.6 per cent increase in forward-fit sales compared to the same time frame one year ago. The more than $354 million in forward-fit sales was the largest sales total in that category since the third quarter of 2019 when more than $366 million in forward-fit sales were reported.

The dollar amount reported, using the 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 non-certified 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 $634 million in 1Q22 sales, 44.2 per cent came from the retrofit market, namely avionics equipment installed after original production, while forward-fit sales comprising avionics equipment installed by airframe manufacturers during original production amounted to 55.8 per cent.

According to the companies that separated their total sales figures between North America, namely the US and Canada, and other international markets, 72.7 per cent of the first quarter sales volume occurred in North America, while 27.3 per cent took place in other international markets.

"This quarter's report is unique in the fact that year-over-year forward-fit sales jumped 34.6 per cent, which coincides with increased aircraft deliveries, and we simultaneously saw year-over-year retrofit sales decline 8.3 per cent," says AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson. "Clearly, growing inflationary pressures and supply chain constraints are ongoing concerns, but to what extent they will impact sales numbers in these two markets this year is uncertain."