Barely after we rang in the new year, here’s a review of 2021 market shares and info regarding the state of the light, recreational aircraft industry. After a surprisingly strong 2020 despite Covid, 2021 returned to Earth a bit but with some shifting between categories. This year the contrast that stood out was between Factory-Built and Kit-Built. In 2020, perhaps because builders were locked down at home and completed more projects, kit registrations blew the doors off factory-built. For 2021, the ratio equalized again with kits narrowly edging out factory-built (nearby chart). Note that for this reporting, datastician Steve Beste said, “We define kit-built as aircraft registered as Experimental Amateur Built. Factory-built are everything else, including SLSA, ELSA, Exhibition, Primary, and Standard.” To understand how Steve solves the FAA database mysteries, check this PDF. How Healthy Is the Market? Generally speaking, the leaders from 2019 and 2020 remain in similar positions for 2021 — the second year everyone endured the virus pandemic.
LSA and Sport Pilot Kits Offer Aircraft Your Way: Factory-Built or Kit-Built
How Healthy Is the Market?
Generally speaking, the leaders from 2019 and 2020 remain in similar positions for 2021 — the second year everyone endured the virus pandemic. While actions to reduce the problems caused upset in many industries, light, recreational, affordable aviation seemed to have prospered surprisingly well.A pair of Icon A5 amphibians in formation.
Who's Leading the Market?
Zenith Aircraft's 751 Cruzer.
Van's Aircraft RV-12 Special or Experimental LSA or Amateur Built.
Progressive Aerodyne's Searey carves a turn on water.
The Light(est) Stuff
Although their numbers are modest, it's good to see Air-Tech and their assumption of all production of the Quicksilver line had good growth in 2021 (up 63% in registered aircraft without including Part 103 unregistered models). The longtime Louisiana supplier of Quicksilver aircraft and accessories took over all rights other than the GT500 and they continue to serve this market well.Quicksilver MX, precursor to the modern Sprint.
Rans Outbound on tundra tires.
Market Observations
Aeropro Aerotrek on big tundra tires.