Global aircraft orders for February 2022 saw a strong month, with 135 single-aisle and 15 widebody aircraft ordered, the highest February since 2014. The strong order numbers were driven by announcements made at Singapore Airshow, the latest international airshow to take place since the Covid-19 pandemic caused major impacts across the global aerospace industry. Latest flight data shows UK flight arrivals and departures now recovering to under a 30% reduction from comparable data in 2019.
Manufacturers delivered 71 aircraft during the month, which compared to February 2021 is a 31.5% increase. In April, ADS will issue its global aircraft delivery forecast alongside the release of the 2022 Q1 aircraft order and delivery data.
The backlog of aircraft continues to rise with demand and remains above 13,000 for the third consecutive month, indicating a continuing recovery in demand and represents several years’ worth of work worth around £186 billion to the UK aerospace industry.
It is encouraging to see the backlog rise for the third consecutive month. This is a positive sign of potential recovery, as the demand for new fuel-efficient aircraft returns towards pre-pandemic levels.
As international travel restrictions and testing requirements continue to ease, I am pleased to see passengers returning to the air with reduced travel restrictions and increased confidence.
This continues to be an exciting year for aviation and aerospace as we look ahead to the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow this July. The UK aerospace industry is keen to see the path to a full recovery is maintained, including in the wide-body aircraft market where a return to pre-pandemic demand is a longer process.
