Flight Simulator Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Full Flight Simulator (FFS), Fixed Flight Training Devices (FTD)), By Application (Military & Defense, Civil), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

Report Overview

The global flight simulator market size was valued at USD 4.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% 2020 to 2027. The benefits offered by these devices include mission critical training programs that ensure effective aircraft operation, low operational costs, and visual systems, that offer near real world experience, and are anticipated to offer avenues for market growth over the next few years. Rising demand for better and effective pilot training is anticipated to catapult growth. The growing importance of aircraft safety as well as the need for substantial training is anticipated to spur demand over the next eight years.

Further, the need for flight handling and safety operations such as situational awareness and skill competency may also promote industry growth. The industry is witnessing unprecedented R&D efforts in aerospace technology coupled with technological advancements resulting in development of highly advanced flight simulators. These products offer high efficiency and have the ability to save fuel costs. Additionally, advancements in computing technology have significantly resulted in incorporation of better visual and motion systems for enhanced fidelity and smoothness, which is also anticipated to drive the market flight simulators market over the forecast period.

High manufacturing costs coupled with on-going operation and maintenance costs are some of the additional factors expected to hamper product demand. Additionally, limited physical environment and behavioral fidelity associated with flight simulators may negatively impact the market for flight simulator over the forecast period. However, the rising concerns over pilot training cost, fluctuating fuel prices, and cost saving on actual aircraft maintenance and repair are also favorably impacting industry growth. Development of realistic aircraft flying simulation system with overhead and ECAM displays using aircraft system logic, has significantly resulted in high adoption of these devices.

The flight simulators are built to replicate the cockpit and the cabin of actual aircraft. The dashboard of the flight simulator is fixed with motion and visual systems to create realistic environments for the pilots. This allows the pilots to precisely feel the movement in aircraft and the visual systems helps them to work out with the approach procedures at the airports. The visual systems are designed to offer the pilots with satellite quality 180 degree view.

Technological advancements resulting in development of highly advanced flight simulator is expected to drive market growth. Lockheed Martin Corporation offers a flight simulator named Prepar3D, which can recreate the cityscape, and night flying illustrations. They have kept it as an open source for private users and software developers to create new applications and environments thus ensuring constant evolution of the program. Additionally, advancements in computing technology have significantly resulted in better visual systems offering near real world experience, which may also drive industry growth over the next seven years.

Flight Simulator Market Trends

The rapidly increasing civil aviation industry coupled with escalating government funding to the defense aviation sector worldwide is expected to increase the flight simulator demand significantly over the next eight years. Further, rising passenger air travel results in elevating demand for trained pilots which in turn positively impacts the flight simulator adoption. Additionally, development of realistic aircraft system logic completes with overhead and ECAM displays has significantly resulted in high adoption of flight simulators.

Rising demand for air travel is expected to propel the global flight simulator market growth over the forecast period. The need to effectively replicate real flying training by using motion and visual systems has resulted in the evolution of sophisticated flight simulator in the market. Increase in government spending and growing security concerns particularly in the military sector is expected to escalate growth significantly.

The growing importance of aircraft safety and need for substantial flight training and simulation is anticipated to spur demand over the coming years. Stringent government norms and regulations pertaining to passenger safety are further expected to elevate product demand. The need for flight handling and safety operations such as situational awareness and flight skill competency may fuel industry growth. Additionally, increasing demand for better and effective pilot training is anticipated to catapult growth.

Technological advancements resulting in development of highly advanced flight simulator is expected to drive market growth. R&D efforts in aerospace technology coupled with performance evaluation of pilots may stimulate market growth over the next few years. High efficiency of simulation technology and ability to save fuel costs are expected to serve as key drivers for the flight simulator market.

Development of simulators for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is expected to offer alternative opportunity for the flight simulator market. Advancements in computing technology have significantly resulted in better visual systems offering near real-world experience which may also drive industry growth over the next seven years. Development of realistic aircraft system logic complete with overhead and ECAM displays has significantly resulted in high adoption of flight simulators.

Product Insights

Based on product, the industry is segmented into full flight simulator (FFS) and fixed flight training devices (FTDs). The FFS segment accounted for over 90% of the market share in 2019, growing at a revenue-based CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period. FFS refers to high technical flight simulators that offer high fidelity and reliability. FFS accurately stimulates the aircraft and the environment in which it operates. These devices create motion, sound, visuals and all other aircraft operations in order to create a realistic training environment, which ensures thorough training to the pilots.

FTDs are training modules with limited visual display. The primary purpose of these devices is to train where all indicators and/or switches are on the deck. These devices are extensively used for their low purchase cost and operations. Furthermore, the development of simulators for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is expected to offer alternative opportunity for the flight simulator market. The increase in the use of UAV drones has increased the need for the training of drone pilots, which, in turn is projected to drive the growth of the market.

Application Insights

Based on application, the market for flight simulator has been segregated into military and defense and civil. The civil segment held a significant part of the market share of about 69.4% in 2019, growing at a revenue-based CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period. Military and defense includes simulators used for training and mission rehearsals for armed forces. Further, live, virtual, and constructive training offered by flight simulators enables armed forces pilots to perform better in real world tasks or mission, thereby resulting in increased product installation.

Manufacturers have realized the importance of improving Aircraft Simulation Technology (AST) in order to offer a realistic aircraft system. Therefore, they focus on mergers and acquisitions in order to have greater financial, technical, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution resources. For example, Textron, L-3 Communications and Lockheed Martin have acquired commercial aircraft simulator competitors as a means to reduce their overall exposure to defense markets and seek growth in the civil aviation market.

Regional Insights

North America emerged as a key market for flight simulator accounting for over 29% of global revenue in 2019 and is expected to witness slow growth over the forecast period. This is owing to early technology adoption by manufacturers and consumers. In addition, stringent regulations enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Federal Aviation Regulations including Sec. 61.64 for the use of flight simulator for training purpose may further spur the regional growth. Further, availability of advanced military and commercial infrastructure is also expected to bolster the growth of the market for flight simulator in this region.

The Asia Pacific is estimated to exhibit high growth over the forecast period owing to increasing demand for these devices particularly in developing countries such as India and China. Inception of the manufacturers in China in early 2015 may further fuel demand in the region. The growth in the Asia Pacific region is attributed to the high demand of air travel with respect to increased trade and tourism. North America may witness slow growth, which may be primarily attributed to the apprehensions regarding air safety along with strict air safety standards enforced by the FAA in the U.S.

The aviation industry was hit hard by the pandemic due to restrictions imposed on air travel. The Canadian flight simulator company CAE Inc. reported a decline of 35.8% in the profit from flight simulators during the first quarter of 2020. However, by the end of the second quarter of 2020, the sales of commercial flight simulators experienced an uptick, with demand generated from cargo airlines and carriers. Additionally, civil aviation travel witnessed a substantial growth of approximately 60% across the U.S., Europe, and Latin American regions during the first quarter of 2022. The Asia Pacific market is experiencing a slow recovery as one of the significant contributors to the aviation industry, China is still following the zero-COVID policy with Beijing and Shanghai tightening restrictions on business and travel, which is expected to impact flight simulator sales.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Notable companies in the market include Alenia Aeronautica, CAE, Cassidian, Boeing, HAVELSAN, Fidelity Technologies Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Rockwell Collins, and L-3 Link Simulation and Training. Manufacturers focus on entering into certain considerable inventory procurement contracts with subcontractors and suppliers that specify determinable products and quantities, and long-term delivery timeframes. As part of expansion strategies, companies focus on mergers and acquisitions to expand their presence.

Key industry participants emphasize on integrating with technology providers to enhance product offerings and reduce time-to-market. Suppliers tend to make continuous efforts to improve Aircraft Simulation Technology (AST) in order to offer superior products. Notable companies in the market integrate with technology providers in order to enhance product offerings and reduce product time to market. Companies also support an interface to the third-party flight simulator which is an open source software generally available through a GNU General Public License (GPL). For example, CAE has developed an in-house R&D department which makes continuous efforts to develop world-leading simulation technologies and a record of service and technology innovation.

Flight Simulator Market Report Scope

Global Flight Simulator Market Segmentation

The report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2027. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global flight simulator market report based on product, application, and region:

• Application Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Full Flight Simulator (FFS)

  • Fixed Flight Training Devices (FTD)

• Product Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Military & defense

  • Civil

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Million Units; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • U.K.

    • Germany

    • France

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa