Aircraft Tires Market

The global aircraft tires market was valued at $1.52 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $2.85 billion in 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.7%.    

The COVID-19 outbreak proved very drastic for a variety of businesses and forced governments across the globe to implement strict lockdowns, which led to social distancing being made mandatory to contain the spread of the virus. As a result, people started avoiding visiting places, and the demand for any means of transportation, including air travel, observed a huge decline in 2020. As a result, thousands of airplanes were grounded worldwide, and the industry witnessed a huge slump in revenues. The aviation sector is expected to witness significant losses in the current year, 2021 owing to the uncontrolled situation of the pandemic across several parts globally. The low demand for air travel negatively impacted the aircraft tires market. Airports and airlines suffered to a large scale by the pandemic that stopped the companies and authorities to place orders for new aircraft tires and also the retreaded tires throughout the world.

Aircraft tire is an important component of every plane. Aircraft tires are designed considering a wide range of factors. There are also several sizes of aircraft tires. It is a piece of equipment that demands a high level of safety and quality. A properly designed tire can withstand various unfavorable conditions and prevent the tire from blowing up. The creation of aircraft tires necessitates extensive engineering and computation. The majority of aircraft tires are made as per fixed standards. Aircraft tire standards are governed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

Aircraft tires play a crucial role in supporting the weight of the aircraft during landing, taxiing, and takeoff. They are specifically designed to withstand the demanding operating conditions of aircrafts, being larger, stronger, and more durable than regular automobile tires. By bearing the weight of the aircraft, these tires ensure safe ground contact and support the entire structure. In addition, during landings, they absorb impact forces & vibrations, providing cushioning to protect the aircraft structure and enhance passenger comfort.

With increase in global awareness about climate change and environmental sustainability, there is growing pressure on the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint. For instance, in 2021, Dunlop Aircraft Tyres, a tire-manufacturing company in Birmingham, England announced its collaboration with Faradair on the development of a new, more sustainable aircraft tire as part of the UK's commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions. The collaboration is specifically focused on the BEHA (Bio Electric Hybrid Aircraft) development program. BEHA is a clean sheet designed, Net Zero-capable commercial aircraft that aims to create manufacturing jobs and support the UK aerospace supply chain.

Sustainable aircraft tires that are designed to be more fuel-efficient and have lower emissions align with these environmental goals. Airlines and aircraft operators are seeking eco-friendly solutions to meet regulatory requirements and consumer demands for greener air travel. This drives the demand for sustainable aircraft tires and stimulates the aircraft tire market growth.
 

The market segmentation is based on type, application, distribution, and region. By type, it is divided into radial and bias. Based on application, it is bifurcated into commercial aviation and military aviation. By distribution, it is classified into OEM and replacement. Region-wise, the market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.

Key players operating in the global aircraft tires market include Aviation Tires & Treads, LLC, Bridgestone Corporation, Desser Holdings LLC, Dunlop Aircraft Tires Limited, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin, Petlas, Sentury Tire Co. Ltd., Specialty Tires of America, and Wilkerson Company, Inc. 

Increase in air passenger traffic across the globe

According to International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) yearly worldwide statistics, the total number of commuters carried on scheduled flights rose to 4.38 billion in 2019, which was 3.65% higher than the previous year. The highest passenger traffic was witnessed in Asia-Pacific. In October 2018, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publicized that current developments in air transport project that the passenger count could double to 8.2 billion in 2037. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a severe downfall in air traffic figures. Although recently, in May 2021, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) stated that the global air passenger traffic is anticipated to recover to almost 88% of pre-COVID-19 levels during 2022, and is projected to outdo this level during 2023. This signifies a robust demand for air travel globally.

The abovementioned statistics suggest rise in air passenger traffic over the years internationally. This rise would result in tremendous surge in demand for new airplanes throughout the world, which would directly impact the sales of aircraft tires. Thus, rise in air traffic is anticipated to drive the growth of the aircraft tires market during the forecast period.  

Frequent wear & tear of aircraft tires

Aircraft tires are subjected to intense temperatures and pressures. Aircraft tires experience wear during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. Takeoff is mainly responsible for tire wear attributed to the fact that while taking off, the airplane has full fuel load and the tires are pre-heated by taxiing. Moreover, the specific number of landings-per-tire is affected by variable factors such weather, hard landings, cross-wind landings, anti-skid action, and rough or damaged runway surfaces. Other excessive operating conditions, such as high energy braking, high-speed taxiing, and high-speed cornering all have an effect on the condition of the rubber surrounding the tire’s core, even creating differences in tire condition from one set of landing gear to another on the same airplane. Thus, there is a need for frequent tire replacement or retreading, which propels the growth of the aircraft tires market.

Stringent standard operating procedures

Aircraft tires handle high temperature and pressure and require regular inspection and maintenance. To prevent any mishap and to ensure the right operating conditions of the aircraft tires, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released an advisory circular (AC No.: 20-97B) in 2005. This advisory circular (AC) provides recommended tire care and maintenance practices needed to assure the safety of support personnel and continued airworthiness of aircraft. Specifically, AC provides guidance on the installation, inflation, maintenance, and removal of aircraft tires. It also suggests operating procedures for mounting tubeless tires, mounting tube-type tires, initial inflation for tubeless tires, and others. It also mentions removal recommendations for atypical service events. Tires that have been subjected to unusual service events, such as high energy rejected takeoffs or high energy overspeed landings (where thermal fuse plugs have released), should be removed and scrapped. Those tires that remain inflated should be removed and returned to a full-service tire supplier with a description of the reason for removal. Moreover, the FAA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and regulatory organizations in other countries require the retreading and/or repair of aircraft tires be performed only by a certified facility. The certification is determined by the governing authority under which the operator is authorized. Such requirements are expected to limit the growth of the global aircraft tires market during the forecast period.

Increase in procurement of military aircraft amid rise in geopolitical tensions

Currently, the world is witnessing rise in geopolitical tensions. Countries in the Middle East and Asia, for instance, China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, North Korea, Israel, Palestine, and others, are the epicenters of global conflicts. To be ready for war-like situations, several countries have placed orders with military aircraft manufacturers. Various countries have increased their defense spending to acquire modern defense equipment to enhance their defense capabilities. The global military expenditure has witnessed exponential growth in recent years. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the global military expenditure reached $1,981 billion in 2020 with 2.6% year-on-year increase. Military expenditure accounted for 2.4% of the global gross domestic product in 2020. Thus, increase in global military expenditure augmented the adoption of modern, more lethal warfare systems, including military aircraft. 

In October 2019, the U.S. Defense Department finalized an agreement with Lockheed Martin Corporation to purchase 478 additional F-35 Lightning II airplanes in a deal totaling $34 billion. In December 2020, Germany approved the purchase of 38 Eurofighter jets worth around $6.62 billion from Airbus. The German air force said that the new aircraft will be equipped with the latest technology and could be used against targets on the ground. Various countries are purchasing military aircraft worldwide. Such developments are expected to increase the demand for new military aircraft. This is expected to propel the growth of the aircraft tires market during the forecast period.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis 

• The COVID-19 impact on the aircraft tires market is unpredictable and is expected to remain in force till the second quarter of 2021. 
• The COVID-19 outbreak forced the governments to impose strict lockdown measures that resulted in flight cancellations and ban on e-commerce services, which led to massive decline in commercial aviation and logistics activities across the world. 
• Moreover, nationwide lockdowns disrupted the supply chains as several manufacturing facilities across the globe had to partially or fully shut down their operations.
• The adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in huge supply-demand issues and resulted in long delays in the activities of aircraft tires operations globally.

Key Benefits For Stakeholders

• This study presents analytical depiction of the global aircraft tires market analysis along with the current trends and future estimations to depict imminent investment pockets.
• The overall aircraft tires market opportunity is determined by understanding profitable trends to gain a stronger foothold.
• The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities of the global aircraft tires market with a detailed impact analysis.
• The current aircraft tires market is quantitatively analyzed from 2020 to 2030 to benchmark the financial competency.
• Porter’s five forces analysis illustrates the potency of the buyers and suppliers in the industry.

Key Market Segments

By Type

• Radial
• Bias

By Application

• Commercial Aviation
• Military Aviation

By Distribution

• OEM
• Replacement    

By Region

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
  • Mexico
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Russia
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia-Pacific
  • China
  • Japan
  • India
  • South Korea
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
• LAMEA
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • Africa

Key Players

• Aviation Tires & Treads, LLC
• Bridgestone Corporation
• Desser Holdings LLC
• Dunlop Aircraft Tires Limited
• The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company 
• Compagnie Generale Des Etablissements Michelin
• Petlas
• Qingdao Sentury Tire Co., Ltd. 
• Specialty Tires of America
• Wilkerson Company, Inc.

 Aircraft Tires Market Report Highlights