General Aviation Engines Market

General Aviation Engines Market Analysis

The General Aviation Engines Market is expected to register a CAGR of 0.69% during the forecast period.

• The market of general aviation engines was highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to a downturn in the aviation industry, which resulted in reduced deliveries of general aviation engines in 2020 and 2021. However, the large-scale backlog of aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the general aviation sector is expected to drive the market during the forecast period.
• The general aviation market experienced steady growth in 2022 compared to 2021. The reason for this growth was the increase in deliveries of business jets and piston-engine aircraft. The global rotorcraft fleet also experienced a growth of over 8.5% in 2022. The necessity to reduce aviation emissions is fueling the development of fuel-efficient and lightweight engines.
• One such technology is hybrid engines for aircraft that will witness growth during the forecast period. Prominent players such as Safran and Rolls Royce have already unveiled their hybrid engine prototypes and are significantly investing in this technology. Such advancements will support the growth of the market during the forecast period.

General Aviation Engines Market Trends

Fixed-wing Aircraft Engines to Exhibit the Highest Growth Rate During the Forecast Period

• The increase in leisure and business air travel, increase in disposable income of people, and development of aviation infrastructure to accommodate and handle more general aviation aircraft are propelling the market growth for general aviation aircraft and engines globally. The majority of general aviation aircraft are powered by turbofan engines.
• Turbofans are expected to exhibit the highest growth as compared to other aircraft engines, owing to the global investments made to increase the size of the existing general aviation fleet of fast, powerful, and fuel-efficient aircraft.
• The global shipment of piston-engine aircraft also recorded an increase of 8.4%, with a total of 1,524 units shipped in 2022 compared to 1,409 units in 2021. Some of the top-selling general aviation aircraft models, such as Cirrus Aircraft SR 22T, Cirrus SF 50, Diamond Aircraft DA 40, Bombardier business jets, Daher Kodiak 100, etc., recorded a growth in sales in 2022. Development and advancements in design and technology, such as enhancement of high bypass turbofan design, are making engines fuel-efficient and more powerful, thus propelling the market growth for fixed-wing aircraft engines.

Asia-Pacific Region to Exhibit The Highest Growth Rate During the Forecast Period

• The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to register the highest growth during the forecast period. This is primarily due to the significant growth showcased by China, India, and Japan in terms of new aircraft orders and deliveries in the past five years. Currently, China has over 2,600 general aviation aircraft, and this number is expected to increase in the coming years due to the growing demand from the short-haul transportation, tourism, forestry, and emergency medical service sectors. Of the total active fleet, about 60% are fixed-wing aircraft, while the remaining are rotorcraft.
• The top four business jet models in China are Gulfstream G450, G550, Dassault Falcon 7X, and Bombardier's Challenger 850. Likewise, Japan also experienced significant growth in its total fleet in 2022 compared to 2021. The development of airports in remote areas and smaller cities have propelled the market growth for turboprop and piston-engine aircraft in the region. Club One Air is India's largest business jet charter operator; eight of its 10 jets are used solely for charter use.
• In July 2022, The Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service (ERHS) of Western Australia ordered three Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters as part of a fleet modernization effort to achieve enhanced airborne capabilities by expanding Leonardo's AW139 fleet. Helicopters will be supplied by leading helicopter operator CHC Australia to the ERHS to conduct helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS), search and rescue, and inter-hospital patient transport missions from Jandakot and Bunbury Airports.
• The company recently announced its plans to double the fleet size within the next two years. Such developments in general aviation in the Asia-Pacific region are anticipated to generate significant demand for aircraft engines which will drive market growth in the near future.

General Aviation Engines Industry Overview

The general aviation engines market is moderately consolidated, with major players such as Rolls-Royce plc, Safran SA, The General Electric Company, and Pratt and Whitney (Raytheon Technologies Corporation) accounting for a major share of the market. The market players generate revenues mainly through long-term contracts for supplying engines to specific aircraft models from aircraft manufacturers.

The launch of new general aviation aircraft models will provide opportunities for engine manufacturers to enhance their market share globally. In recent times, when aviation emission norms have become stringent, aircraft manufacturing companies are looking for low-emission and highly fuel-efficient engines, and this has led to heavy investment in research, design, and development by aviation engine manufacturers to meet the needs of customers.

General Aviation Engines Market Leaders

General Aviation Engines Market News

• July 2022: Textron Aviation Special Missions introduced the Cessna Citation longitude marine patrol aircraft, which is powered by a Honeywell HTF7700L Turbofan engine.
• February 2022: Safran Helicopter Engines signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ST Engineering to conduct a study on the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in helicopter engines. The study aims to assist helicopter operators in switching from conventional fossil fuels to SAF.
• February 2022: Embraer, Wideroe, and Rolls-Royce entered into a research partnership agreement to conduct a 12-month study and research innovative sustainable technologies for regional aircraft, focusing on developing a conceptual zero-emissions aircraft.