Aircraft Lightning Protection Market to reach $3.3 Bn by 2026

Aircraft Lightning Protection Market to reach $3.3 Bn by 2026. Logo: Global Market Insights.

Countries covered in the report included South Africa.

Increasing production of aircraft owing to the growing air passenger traffic and requirement to replace aging aircraft fleets will boost the market expansion.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of air passengers will be nearly eight billion by 2036, which is nearly double of the estimated four billion air travellers in 2018. These aforementioned trends will catapult aircraft manufacturing, thereby triggering the product sales in the future.

Rising R&D activities to propose new theories and development of new polymers will spur market penetration in the coming years. Stringent safety norms by several regulatory bodies for the integration of protective materials in aircraft structures and fuel efficiency will support industry value. Regulatory bodies including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are continuously developing aircraft lightning protection norms.

The emergence of new aircraft manufacturers with lightning protection materials, such as carbon laminate composite and fiberglass, has significantly contributed toward aircraft manufacturing facility set-up costs. Lightning protection tests involve the application of high current and voltage generation. These tests are performed in electrical test laboratories by experienced operators. The limited number of facilities in conjunction with expertise requirement are among the few factors that will continue to negatively influence the industry expansion.

Transient voltage suppressors likely to remain the key aspect in aircraft lightning protection

Transient voltage suppressors segment in the aircraft lightning protection market accounted for more than USD 2.5 billion in 2019. There is an increasing requirement for active aircraft protection systems to respond to sudden or momentary overvoltage conditions. Transient voltage suppressor diodes offer critical protection in few nanoseconds after a strike by clamping the transient voltage. These systems protect critical flight applications associated with multiple engine control units, flight control systems, and actuator controls. Moreover, stringent regulations requiring the mandatory replacement of components after a definitive flight cycle to maintain airworthiness will further accelerate product growth.

Civil aircraft will gain significant traction in the future

Aircraft lightning protection market for civil segment is anticipated to witness around 3% growth rate till 2026. Increasing implementation of lightning protection systems in civil aircraft, such as Boeing and Airbus, is expected to fuel the market growth. Frequent lightning strikes cause severe damages to civil aircraft fuselage, thereby leading to excessive repairs. Furthermore, rising concern for passenger safety is compelling aircraft manufacturers to incorporate cutting-edge safety features within aircraft. Major aircraft manufacturers including Boeing and Airbus are performing in-house tests to ensure improved adequacy of lightning protection systems. These companies are also engaged in offering improved protection from lightning strikes by coating and covering aircraft composite parts with expanded foils and wire meshes.

Business expansion activities across the globe will support revenue generation

In 2019, the business jets segment captured more than 20% of the aircraft lightning protection market share owing to the rising inter-continental business activities. Geographic expansion of companies has led to increase in travelling in various regions, thereby positively influencing the industry size in the near future. The adoption of composite materials in business jets to resist current flow during lightning will further augment segment growth.