Aerospace sector suffers worst ever third quarter as orders grind to a halt

Aerospace manufacturers received no orders for new commercial aircraft in September, a trade body has revealed.

The torrid month capped off the worst ever third quarter for the sector, with just 13 orders placed worldwide. The figure represents a decline of 91.4% on the same quarter last year, said ADS, which represents and supports over 1,100 UK businesses in aerospace and related sectors. Of the orders made, 10 were for single-aisle aircraft and three were for wide-body aircraft.

The aerospace sector has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with far fewer people travelling internationally and many flights cancelled during lockdowns.

The third quarter was also the worst on record for number of aircraft delivered, with customers worldwide receiving 173. Single-aisle aircraft accounted for 135 of those, thanks to the decline in long haul international travel. September reportedly saw an increase in deliveries to levels approaching February this year, but ADS said levels were still “far below” normal for the time of year.

There is still a substantial order backlog, however, with customers expecting 13,444 new aircraft. The backlog represents up to £200bn for the UK economy if orders are fulfilled, ADS said.  

Chief executive Paul Everitt called on the government to introduce a testing regime to help reduce the required quarantine period after international travel.

“The aerospace and aviation industries have invested in robust health and safety measures as part of aircraft design which makes the risk of transmission when travelling aboard an aircraft extremely low,” he said. “We need to continue to work together internationally to improve consumer confidence and encourage a return to the skies. 

“The quarantine period that passengers face when they return home is one of the main barriers to UK aviation’s recovery and testing can play a major role in reducing this. The government should rapidly implement a testing regime so that the 14-day quarantine period can be shortened. This will help improve confidence amongst travellers and in turn put the aviation and aerospace sectors on a path towards recovery.”

Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.

Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.