Aircraft Lighting Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Aircraft Type (Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing), By Lighting Type (Interior Lights and Exterior Lights), By Point of Sale (OEM and Aftermarket), and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

The global aircraft lighting market size was valued at USD 670.6 million in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 712.8 million in 2022 to USD 1,341.7 million by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 9.46% during the forecast period. The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with aircraft lighting experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. Based on our analysis, the global market exhibited a decline of -30.0% in 2020 compared to 2019.

Aircraft lighting systems provide illumination for both exterior and interior applications. The exterior lights illuminate such operations as navigation landing at night, an inspection of icing conditions, and safety from a midair collision. At the same time, interior lighting provides illumination for instruments, cockpits, cabins, and other sections occupied by crewmembers and passengers. Cabin lighting is important for ensuring the best in-flight passenger experience. In addition, an efficient lighting system provides a great inflight travel experience and aids the passengers in undertaking different leisure activities.

Major players involved in the market are spending more on developing these interior and exterior lights that have high illumination capabilities and low maintenance costs. For instance, in April 2021, the Oxley team in Ulverston, Cumbria designed and launched a prototype of exterior LED lights for the new KF-X fighter plane in South Korea. This is the country’s first domestically designed and constructed fast jet. It is a high-tech multirole aircraft with modern avionics.

COVID-19 IMPACT

COVID-19 Led to Delays and Cancellation of Aircraft Deliveries, Eventually Reducing the Demand for Aircraft Lighting System

The pandemic severely affected the aviation industry, and the effect was visible in different parameters, including low passenger air traffic, delays in aircraft deliveries, and cancellation of aircraft orders. In addition, many aircraft were bonded into storage conditions, airline schedules were canceled, and international aircraft movement was restricted. Moreover, aircraft values underwent a significant change with narrow bodies, particularly selling at a higher rate than normal, leading to order cancellations from major airlines worldwide. For instance, mass order cancellations for Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft were a major setback for the company and evidence that the terms of contracts allowed for cancellation if the aircraft was not delivered to the operator within 12 months of the agreed delivery date.

In July 2020, Airbus announced reducing its pre-coronavirus commercial aircraft production rates by roughly one-third. India’s biggest airline IndiGo had placed the order of 300 A-320neo family aircraft to Airbus, which will take IndiGo’s total number of A320neo family aircraft orders to 730. Airbus added the deliveries would take longer than expected due to the pandemic hit that has led to disruption in the supply chain ad the company’s distribution network.

LATEST TRENDS

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Rising Demand for Lightweight Aircraft Lighting Components is Propelling Market Growth

Aircraft manufacturers need to follow strict norms related to the weight of aircraft. Weight is one of the crucial factors when manufacturing aircraft and its components as the heavyweight aircraft consumes more fuel and has high maintenance cost compared to the lightweight aircraft. The aircraft's weight is mainly dependent on the weight of different components and parts fitted in the aircraft. Thus, the major players involved in the market always focus on developing small-size components that are high in strength and low in weight.

Considering the lightweight feature, the next-generation photoluminescent strips are a non-electrical lighting system for floor path lighting that has minimal mass compared to conventional floor path lighting. Moreover, these lights are mainly installed on the cabin floor to guide passengers to emergency exits in case of cabin light failure. For instance,

In July 2020, Lufthansa announced that the company is developing the GuideU, a non-electrical floor path-marking system. The product is lightweight and can be easily installed and deployed in all common line-fit aircraft platforms. The system does not require a power source, unlimited lifetime, lightweight, and requires zero maintenance.

DRIVING FACTORS

Increasing Adoption of Energy-efficient Aircraft Lighting to Drive Market Growth

The adoption of advanced LED lights has increased across the globe. The increased use of these advanced LED lights over conventional lights is anticipated to fasten the development of energy-efficient aircraft LED lights for interior and exterior use. Light-Emitting Diode (LED) is the main lighting solution in aircraft cabin lighting. This advanced technology offers energy efficiency and luminosity, high durability, and brings plenty of benefits to an aircraft. The operational cost is lower than other illumination types such as fluorescent lamps. Thus, the adoption of LED and other advanced lighting systems drives the market growth.

Technically LEDs have a longer life if compared to traditional bulbs. Conventional incandescent lights have a lower average mean time between failures (MTBF) of approximately 1,000 hours, which equals a service life of 1 to 2 years. Moreover, after installation of the incandescent lights, it requires regular inspection. It is replaced after their life cycle, in case of complete failure, or even when the intensity of the light is reduced. On the other hand, LED lights have an average MTBF of approximately 10,000 hours or 10 years, which is equivalent to the aircraft's service life.

Surge in Demand for Upgrade of Conventional Aircraft Lights with Modern Lights to Boost Market Growth

Airline operators worldwide are highly investing in aircraft modernization programs and increasing contracts with OEMs to upgrade the conventional cabin interiors and lighting systems as the airline industry is mainly focusing on enhancing passenger experience and comfort by installing advanced aircraft interior systems. Aircraft interior lighting designers have been creative and are applying the latest research and the latest technology to enhance cabin appearance, convenience, and function. Moreover, interior lighting must provide adequate illuminance relative to an aircraft's installation distance or angle to ensure specifications are met. Growing expenditure in the aviation sector and rising spending on the design and development of advanced aircraft interiors drive the market growth. For instance,

In February 2021, Diehl Aerospace signed an extension contract with Boeing to deliver the interior lighting system for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Under the contract, the company provides next-generation LED solutions with cost reductions and enhanced performance and optical appearance.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Increasing Aircraft Delivery Backlogs and High Cost Associated with LEDs to Hinder Market Growth

An economic slowdown in the supply chain and distribution channel has resulted in a decline in aircraft manufacturing. This slowdown is expected to surge the aircraft backlogs during the pandemic period. Several major companies involved in aircraft and its component manufacturing face major supply issues, which will continue to affect the aviation industry. For instance, in December 2021, Airbus S.A.S., a leading aircraft manufacturer, reported a backlog of 7,082 aircraft. 6,314 were A320ceo/neo and A220 family narrowbodies out of the total aircraft backlog. The company has faced an all-time backlog record of 7,725 aircraft set in January 2020.

Similarly, by the end of 2021, other key aircraft OEM such as Boeing had an aircraft backlog of 5,136 aircraft, out of which 4,138 were 737 NG/MAX narrow-body aircraft. The company’s all-time backlog high of 5,964 aircraft was in August 2018.

Moreover, the high cost associated with LEDs and its components is one of the major factors responsible for declining market growth. The high cost of these lights is due to their high precision manufacturing process. Each individual LEDs and fixtures are tested during production for initial quality control. These lights should provide adequate illuminance relative to the installation distance or angle in an aircraft to ensure specifications.

SEGMENTATION

By Aircraft Type Analysis

Fixed-Wing Aircraft to Dominate Market Owing to Increased Airline Fleet

By aircraft type, the market is bifurcated into fixed-wing and rotary-wing. The fixed-wing aircraft segment dominated the market in the base year due to increased commercial airline fleet worldwide. The airline market has been under-penetrated for years and is now witnessing substantial growth due to several reasons, including a high rate of passenger safety and low air passenger fares due to the emergence of budget airlines in the global aviation market. The global aircraft fleet will be nearly 23,715 aircraft in 2021, and airline operators worldwide are placing bulk orders. Moreover, an increase in demand for modern aircraft due to growing air traffic and rising spending in the aviation sector from various countries drive the market growth.

The rotary-wing segment will witness a moderate growth due to the growing demand for helicopters for commercial purposes such as tourism and air ambulance application. Moreover, the increased growing military aircraft procurement is one of the major reasons for the segment growth during the forecast period. In January 2022, the U.S. Marine Corps received its first CH-53K King Stallions, and the helicopter is the most powerful heavy-lift helicopter in the U.S. military.

By Lighting Type Analysis

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Adoption of Advanced Interior Lights to Drive Interior Light Segment Growth in Base Year

The aircraft lighting market is bifurcated into interior lights and exterior lights in terms of lighting type. The interior lights segment is further segmented into signage lights, ceiling & wall lights, floor path lighting, reading lights, and lavatory lights. The interior lights segment grew at a higher growth rate during the base year due to the growing adoption of modern generation LED lights and mood lighting for a high degree of passenger comfort and safety. Moreover, airline operators worldwide are choosing to install LED lighting throughout the cabin to take advantage of the effects that mood lighting can have on passengers. For instance, Virgin America, an airline in the U.S. that operated from 2007 to 2018, was primarily into operating low-fare service that became known for its amazing mood lighting, with its signature purple and red cabin lighting. Aircraft manufacturers, such as Boeing and Airbus, have also been creating innovative cabin lighting and projection systems for more than a decade now that ensure their customers customize the passenger experience.

Moreover, the exterior lights segment is further segmented into emergency lights, navigation lights, and others. The market for this segment is growing at a significant rate, owing to increased spending on R&D by the key players that manufacture exterior lights. The high investment is due to the growing need to make these lights with high illumination capabilities and low manufacturing & maintenance costs.

By Point of Sale Analysis

Rising Demand for Modern Generation Aircraft Interior Lights to Boost Segmental Growth

Based on point of sale, the market is segmented into OEM and aftermarket. The aftermarket segment is projected to witness a higher growth rate due to the growing demand for aircraft lighting customization according to customers’ needs. Moreover, the segment's growth is attributed to the increasing flight hours of an aircraft. Rise in air passenger traffic leads to increased use of lights. These lights required detailed inspection and bulb replacements for a period specified by the manufacturer. Thus, higher growth numbers are expected in the forecast period.

The OEM segment is expected to witness higher growth, owing to an increase in the number of aircraft procurement for military and commercial applications. Moreover, the rising demand for new modern generation aircraft in the U.S. and emerging countries of Asia Pacific, such as China and India, is expected to support the market's growth in the forthcoming years.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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In terms of geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the rest of the world. North America dominated the market in 2021 and was valued USD 209.2 million in 2021. The growth in this region is attributed to a well-flourished line fit and retrofit aviation industry and the presence of the highest aircraft fleet and aircraft lighting manufacturers in the U.S. Moreover, the airline operators in the region are primarily focusing on providing their passenger's high degree of comfort and a safe flight experience, which, in turn, would result in the development of advanced aircraft lighting systems.

The Europe aircraft lighting market held the second-largest share in the base year. The growth is attributed to the growing adoption of advanced LED lighting technology for the cabin of modern generation aircraft. Moreover, the presence of key players, such as Cobham plc, Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG, Safran, Oxley Group, and STG Aerospace Limited, is one of the major companies profiled in the market and have some major prominent customers worldwide, including aircraft manufacturers and component manufacturers. Thus, higher growth numbers are anticipated during the forecast period.

The market in Asia Pacific is one of the major emerging markets in the aviation industry. This growth is attributed to the expansion of the airline industry in India and China. The growing passenger air traffic in China and India creates demand for more commercial aircraft and is expected to boost the market growth. In addition, India has the world’s third-largest commercial aviation market, and the increasing aerospace infrastructure and defense spending is one of the major factors that would create lucrative growth opportunities in the forthcoming years.

The market in the Middle East will witness substantial growth in the near future, owing to increasing investment and spending for the modernization of aircraft cabin interiors for business jets and modern generation aircraft in an approach to provide more degree of comfort and safety to passengers. The rest of the world would project a moderate growth rate during the forecast period, owing to emerging airlines in the region and the rising trend of adopting LED lights.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Major Concern of Key Players Regarding Provision of Energy-Efficient Aircraft to Motivate Development

The global market is highly fragmented with the presence of various key players such as Astronics Corporation, Cobham Plc., Honeywell International Inc., Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG, Luminator Technology Group, and Safran. These players are focusing on providing a wide range of energy-efficient lighting solutions for fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Besides, the increasing investment in R&D activities and the rising focus on strategic acquisition and collaboration strategy would support expanding its product and brand portfolios. These strategies would enable large market players to hold a considerable aircraft lighting market share.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED

• Astronics Corporation (U.S.)


• Aveo Engineering Group s.r.o (Czechia)


• Bruce Aerospace (U.S.)


• Cobham plc (U.K.)


• Collins Aerospace (U.S.)


• Diehl Stiftung & Co. KG (Germany)


• Honeywell International Inc. (U.S.)


• Luminator Technology Group (U.S.)


• Oxley Group (U.K.)


• Safran (France)


• Soderberg Manufacturing Company (U.S.)


• STG Aerospace Limited (U.K.)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• February 2022–  Diehl Aerospace, a subsidiary of Diehl Aviation, was awarded a contract extension by Boeing for the delivery of the interior lighting system for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The first contract for LED interior lighting development and serial production for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was signed in 2005.


• September 2021– Collins Aerospace launched Lilac-UV, an ultraviolet (UV) lighting system to disinfect aircraft interiors in practically any place light is mounted inside an aircraft. Lilac-UV emits a faint violet light that disinfects surfaces in seconds to minutes. Lilac-UV has various applications such as in restrooms, galleys, flight decks, cargo bays, and throughout the cabin, with scheduled cleanings or manual treatments available during or between flights.

REPORT COVERAGE

An Infographic Representation of Aircraft Lighting Market

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The research report provides a detailed analysis of the market. It comprises all major aspects, such as R&D capabilities and optimization of the manufacturing process. Moreover, report offers insights into the market trends and primarily highlights key industry developments. In addition to the above-mentioned factors, it mainly focuses on several factors that have contributed to the global aircraft lighting market growth in recent years.

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