2 minute read - 30th May 2022
Orders jump in April as aerospace recovery continues
Global aircraft orders for April have seen a continuation of the strong order books reported at the start of the year and a continuation of recovery in market demand and confidence. In total, 138 single-aisle and six wide-body aircraft were ordered, the highest April for new orders since pre-pandemic 2018.
Aircraft manufacturers delivered a total of 83 aircraft, 13 wide-body and 70 single-aisle, an improvement of 34 per cent on April 2021. Compared to orders, deliveries are below pre-pandemic trends but in line with the ADS forecast of 2022 global deliveries reaching 997 aircraft.
UK aerospace manufacturing output remains significantly weaker than February 2020, with output 40.5 per cent smaller. The contribution to UK industrial value from the wide-body market segment is higher than for single-aisle aircraft. However, the April data alongside aircraft manufacturer production rate ramp ups remains a positive sign of recovery and is expected to feed through into overall manufacturing data later this year.
The aerospace sector recovery continues with 144 orders placed in April, the best April since 2018. The order backlog remains above 13,000 for the fifth consecutive month / Picture: Getty/iStock
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Latest flight data continues to show encouraging signs of recovery with UK flight arrivals and departures remaining stable following the upward trends attributed to flights during the spring break. Data has now recovered to less than a 20% reduction compared to 2019.
The backlog of aircraft remains above 13,000 for the fifth consecutive month and continues to rise with demand and market confidence. This represents several years’ worth of work worth around £190bn to the UK aerospace industry.
The highest April for new orders since 2018 signals a continued recovery for the sector, particularly in the single-aisle market / Picture: Getty/iStock
ADS chief executive, Kevin Craven, said: “The continuation of an order uplift is a very welcome sign of the continuation of recovery seen in recent months and I look forward to seeing it feed through into aerospace manufacturing output data. To ensure the recovery feeds through into aerospace manufacturing, ADS will continue its work with government, industry and members through ongoing supply chain and labour issues to support planned production rate ramp ups.
“With the return of Farnborough Airshow in July, we will see a major opportunity for the UK to showcase its world-leading green aerospace technology to manufacturers as they look to invest and develop greener and cleaner aircraft.”
Global orders and delivery of aircraft in April by year / Graphic & data: ADS