Commercial aircraft FCS: Key market research findings
- Americas to dominate the market geographically
- Ongoing shift towards next-generation FCS
- Key vendors—BAE Systems, Honeywell International, MOOG, Rockwell Collins, Sagem, and UTC Aerospace Systems
Technavio’s market research analysts estimate the global commercial aircraft FCS market to grow at a CAGR of almost 3% between 2016 and 2020. The increasing adoption of thrust management systems (TMS) is the primary driving force behind the growth of the market. TMS enable better control over the thrust and power in an aircraft. TMS is an automated throttle director system that allows customized flight characteristics for aircraft engines, rather than manual control over the fuel flow. This automatic throttle system works along with the automatic FCS (AFCS) and provides adequate speed and Mach number to aircrafts. In 2015, the Americas dominated the global commercial aircraft flight control systems (FCS) by accounting for more than 37% of the overall market share. The positive impact of economic growth on the aviation industry is likely to further fuel growth of the market in this region during the forecast period.
The new market research report from Technavio presents a breakdown and analysis of the commercial FCS segments by type.
“The shift towards a next-generation FCS is an ongoing trend in the market. Continuous advancements are made to these systems to enhance their capability as they are critical components of an aircraft. Conventional FCS consist of parts such as tension cables, pushrods, pulleys, and counterweights which make them bulky. In an attempt to curb such drawbacks, the manufacturers are constant trying to innovate FCS to improve their safety and passenger comfort,” Abhay Singh, Lead Analyst, Aerospace & Defense, Technavio Research.
In 2015, the hydro-mechanical FCS segment accounted for the majority of the market share with a stake of around 50%. Hydro-mechanical FCS is an improved alternative for the conventional mechanical FCS due to its ability to deliver relatively higher power without any drawbacks with respect to space or weight. Furthermore, hydro-mechanical FCS is capable of limiting the probabilities of a shock or fire hazard, and reduce the aerodynamics forces on the control surfaces as it doesn’t consume electricity.
The key vendors in the global commercial aircraft FCS market include BAE Systems, Honeywell International, MOOG, Rockwell Collins, Sagem, and UTC Aerospace Systems. The global commercial aircraft flight control systems market is highly fragmented due to the presence of several large- and small-sized providers. Most vendors operate across product lines and offer products to several industries, whereas the other players deal with more niche segments and provide only a limited number of products to the defense industry. The vendors have started shifting their manufacturing bases to APAC to reduce the overall operational costs. The increasing need for higher profits has prompted international players to enter into alliances with local players to serve end-users adequately.
A more detailed analysis is available in the Technavio report, Global Commercial Aircraft FCS Market 2016-2020.
We can customize reports by other regions and specific segments upon request.
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