A review of 2021 market shares and information regarding the state of the light, recreational aircraft industry shows that, after a surprisingly strong 2020 despite the pandemic, 2021 returned to Earth a bit but with some shifting between categories.
In 2021, the contrast that stood out was between factory-built and kit-built light-sport aircraft (LSA).
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.
“We define kit-built as aircraft registered as Experimental Amateur Built,” explained datastician Steve Beste. “Factory-built are everything else, including SLSA, ELSA, Exhibition, Primary, and Standard.”
When you combine both production methods, the total — 317 aircraft in 2021 — compares favorably to deliveries of Part 23 single engine piston aircraft (the closest comparison).
As I relate performance numbers below, please keep this important point in mind: Factory-built LSA registrations generally mean a new aircraft that got built and delivered in 2021, while kit-built aircraft were probably delivered some years earlier and finished in 2021. This mismatch evens out over time. Also, these numbers may not identically match what producers claim they sold in any given year.
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 pandemic. While many industries were hurt by the pandemic and its restrictions, light, recreational, affordable aviation seems to have prospered surprisingly well.
“Of the 19 companies that registered 10 or more aircraft in 2020, 15 did so again,” Steve reported. “Those who slipped from 2020 included AutoGyro, BRM Aero, Kolb, and Scoda. New to the list were Aeropro and Quicksilver. Standouts were Icon, whose A5 amphibian registrations almost doubled from 13 to 25, and Aeropro, whose two Aerotrek models got 13 registrations, up from five last year.”
Who’s Leading the Market?
Zenair/Zenith retained its market leading position, with 94 registrations, up 9% from 2020. In fact, Zenith builders registered a third more aircraft than the #2 kit maker, Rans, which was up 22% to 60. Next was Kitfox, which saw a 4% decrease to 52. These are the Big Three among Sport Pilot kit suppliers.
All the top kit-built producers increased their growth except Sonex, which slid 32%. The company changed hands from founder John Monnet to longtime manager Mark Schaible and we may see it resume its position for 2023 (except for that time delay between kit sales and kit completions).
Van’s Aircraft was up 5% and its RV-12 again came in as the #1 fully-built LSA.
Van’s registrations show the hard work of our premiere datastician Steve Beste. Anyone can access these numbers, but none I’ve found can match Steve’s gift at deciphering what the registration variations mean. Van’s registered 43 Experimental LSA, nine Special LSA, five Experimental Amateur Built, and one “Other.”
Among factory-built manufacturers, Progressive Aerodyne had strong results, growing 44% to register 26 new Searey LSA in 2021.
Icon also rebounded from a low 2020 to output 25 A5s last year (a 92% growth).
Another factory-built producer, Aeropro — sold in the USA under the name Aerotrek — was up 160% in 2021.
This company is one of the steadiest producers in all of light aviation. It famously refuses to expand and, as a result, is extremely consistent about production. The big growth in 2021 surely reflects some registration delays in 2020 more than any spike in manufacturing.
The Light(est) Stuff
Although its numbers are modest, it’s good to see Air-Tech and its 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 it continues to serve this market well.
Gyroplanes continue on a long slope downward, not declining fast but steadily. Difficulties with insurance may be a problem, plus they are the only category of LSA not allowed to fully build aircraft. This should be solved with the FAA’s planned updates to LSA in 2024.
“Gyroplane registrations were way down,” Steve reported. “Only SilverLight and Tango had slight increases. This once-hot segment cooled a bit in 2020 and now even more in 2021.”
Among other categories, weight shift trike sales were off to their 2018 level (Part 103 trikes are doing better, but don’t show up on the registration database).
Powered parachutes enjoyed continuing growth, led by Powrachute (up 25%).
One More (New) Thing
A new trick for Steve was to count Part 103 aircraft that were registered as Experimental Amateur Built. Conforming Part 103 vehicles do not need N-numbers.
“Perhaps the owners wanted to add features that bumped the planes over the 254-pound ultralight limit. If so, credit to them for being honest about it and registering the planes,” Steve said.
Aeromarine LSA leads among Part 103 manufacturers with its Zigolo registering 10. Air-Bike registered seven, Phantom and Legal Eagle five each, Affordaplane four, and Cloudbase (maker of Skylite and Lil’ Bitts) three.
All these are in addition to any Part 103 models the companies delivered.
For more information and links to every producer and all 89 models, see the new Part 103 List at ByDanJohnson.com.
Market Observations
“Many manufacturers have left the market,” Steve noted. “Tableau Public for LSA tracks 140 manufacturers who are registering aircraft with FAA. Of those, only 71 manufacturers registered an aircraft last year.”
He added a caution: “This is a world in which a lot of dreamers bring promising aircraft to market…and then fizzle. Prospective buyers — especially prospective kit buyers — should keep this mind.”
The LSA and Sport Pilot kit industry can be compared fairly well to single-engine piston models of conventionally-certified aircraft. Some years it’s been closer, but for 2021 Steve noted, “GA sales dwarf these LSA and Sport Pilot kit numbers. Just to keep our beloved world in perspective, in 2021, Cirrus registered 272 single-engine piston aircraft, Cessna, 148, Piper, 92. Just those three companies registered 512 aircraft in 2021, to the light recreational aircraft industry’s 317 combined Factory-Built and Kit-Built.”
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Aircraft that cannot qualify to be operated by a Sport Pilot (meaning LSA parameters for factory built or kit-built aircraft) are not counted in our numbers. Many Bearhawks exceed the limit for operation by Sport Pilots.