Aerospace Firms Forecast New Annual Production Record
- Manufacturers aim to deliver 1722 aircraft in 2018, 15 per cent more than the record 1498 delivered in 2017.
- January sees 71 aircraft delivered, worth up to £1.3bn to UK industry.
- Backlog of orders remains above 14,000 for only the second month on record.
Aircraft manufacturers are aiming to set a new production record in 2018, targeting the delivery of more than 1700 wide-body and single-aisle aircraft this year. A new production record would make this year the eighth consecutive annual record for aircraft deliveries.
Rising production forecasts have been driven by manufacturers’ plans to accelerate delivery rates of major single-aisle aircraft like the Airbus A320 family, Boeing’s 737 series and Bombardier’s CSeries.
The first month of 2018 saw 71 aircraft delivered and 48 ordered, putting the backlog on order books at 14,267.
ADS Chief Executive Paul Everitt said:
“The aerospace industry is striving to reach new heights of production as we respond to rising demand around the world.
“Manufacturers in the UK and elsewhere are stepping up to meet the challenge of providing customers with cleaner and more fuel efficient planes to serve growing markets.
“Last year saw new records set in orders and production, and I am confident that further improvements in capacity, efficiency and productivity in the UK supply chain will see further records set in 2018.”