Overview of the global helicopter flight control systems (FCS) market
Technavio’s market research analyst predicts the global helicopter flight control systems (FCS) market to grow at a steady CAGR of around 2% by 2020. One of the primary growth drivers for this market is the advent of automatic flight control systems (AFCS). Besides offering flight automation, AFCS has improved the stability and handling of helicopters by monitoring both their internal and external conditions. Also, an automated FCS ensures safe and efficient operation of helicopters by securing their landing during harsh climatic conditions and low visibility. Manufacturers are coming up with several improvements in FCS such as adaptive flight, aeroservoelasticity, fault tolerant flight, inertial navigation, and trajectory control of an unmanned space re-entry vehicle.
According to this market research report, technological advancements in the market has led to the introduction of fly-by-wire (FBW) technology, which is an advanced version of FCS. This system stabilizes the aircraft automatically with its electronic flight control technology. It comprises a flight computer that analyses the control activities of the pilot and sends electric signals to the flight control surface actuators without any mechanical linkage. This shift towards the increased use of FBW control systems in helicopters will propel the growth of this market during the forecast period.
Segmentation by application and analysis of the helicopter FCS market
- Civil helicopters
- Military helicopters
The civil helicopters will be the largest segment of this market in terms of application, and is expected to occupy more than 58% of the total market share by 2020. Much of this segment’s growth is due to the rapid increase in the number of commercial and special purpose helicopters across the globe. The growing use of helicopters in tourism, oil and gas, utility, special missions, and training will result in their stable demand, thereby driving the helicopter FCS market in the forecast period.
Geographical segmentation and analysis of the helicopter FCS market
The Americas dominated the helicopter FCS market in 2015, and will continue its market dominance over the next four years. Owing to the surge in defense budget cuts and military spending in the region, the procurement of military helicopters with advanced FCS has increased considerably. Factors such as growing investments in military applications and rise in the US defense budget expenditure will aid in the growth of the market in this region in the coming years.
Competitive landscape and key vendors
The helicopter FCS market is highly competitive where the vendors compete on the basis of cost, product quality, reliability, and aftermarket service. The primary focus of the vendors is to implement lightweight materials, more advanced electric technologies, and robust systems in helicopters for efficient operations. The market is expected to witness a surge in mergers and acquisitions, coupled with increased collaboration with alliance partners in the coming years. Several autopilot manufacturers are making huge investments in developing new, cost-efficient, and advanced digital smart autopilots that are compatible with various civil and military helicopters.
Key vendors in this market are –
- Liebherr
- Moog
- Sagem
- UTC
- Woodward
Key questions answered in the report include
- What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2020?
- What are the key factors driving the global helicopter FCS market?
- What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global helicopter FCS market?
- What are the challenges to market growth?
- Who are the key vendors in the global helicopter FCS market?
- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global helicopter FCS market?
- Trending factors influencing the market shares of the Americas, APAC, and EMEA.
- What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the global helicopter FCS market?
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Helicopter flight control systems are devices that help pilots to effectively operate a helicopter. Generally, there are three major controls in the helicopter that the pilot must use during flight. Collective pitch control, anti-torque pedals or tail rotor control, and cyclic stick control are the three major controls used by the pilots. Depending on the complexity of the helicopter, a mixing unit may link the cyclic and collective controls. This mixing unit is essentially a hydraulic device that combines the input from both the cyclic and collective controls and then sends along the "mixed" input to the control surfaces to achieve the desired result.
The report, global helicopter flight control systems, is part of Technavio’s aerospace and defense research portfolio. This portfolio provides a comprehensive market analysis along with the market share, market sizing, and market segmentations covering areas such as aerospace, aerospace components, aerospace manufacturing, aerospace products, commercial aviation, defense, defense technology, general aviation, homeland security, maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO), and space. These market research reports provide a perspective on the various market opportunities and market threats along with the key trends that would influence the market growth during the forecast period. It presents insights into the changing competitive landscape and a detailed profiling and market analysis of the vendors. Also covered in the research are the key regions or countries that would have an impact on the market during the assessment years.