Market Trends of Middle East And Africa Turboprop Aircraft Industry
Commercial Aviation Segment to Exhibit the Highest Growth Rate During the Forecast Period
Air traffic is witnessing continuous growth in Middle-East and Africa, which is driving the market growth for turboprop aircraft. ATR predicted the need for more than 3,000 aircraft by 2037, and Africa constitutes a share of more than 10% of the total need for aircraft. African airlines are expanding their regional jet and turboprop. The utilization of turboprops has more than doubled from 5,000 hours to 10,000 hours. The Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative aims to promote intra-Africa air transport liberalization. SAATM is a flagship project under the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063. The objective of SAATM is to create a unified air transport market within Africa to promote the liberalization of civil aviation within Africa and act as a driving force for the continent’s economic integration.
The aviation market in the Middle East and Africa has a huge potential for future growth, and the procurement of turboprop aircraft has witnessed significant demand. For instance, in July 2023, Textron Aviation was awarded a contract for five Beechcraft King Air turboprops in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia weather modification mission. These factors are expected to aid the segment in the forecast period.
The United Arab Emirates is Expected to Show Significant Growth During the Forecast Period
The increased investments in the defense industry, aviation development, and business development ecosystem are driving the growth of turboprop aircraft for commercial, general, and defense aviation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). For instance, in November 2023, the UAE Air Force entered a contract for the purchase of forty Calidus (Turboprop) aircraft. The aircraft is equipped with a Pratt & Whitney (P&WC) PT6A turbo-charged engine, allowing it to reach a maximum velocity of 704 kilometers per hour (km/h) with a range of 2,593 km. The surge in the number of high-net-worth individuals and business growth in the region is fuelling the growth of the general aviation industry as many people with higher incomes prefer air travel in private aircraft.
Apart from this, the UAE has become a major center for turboprop aircraft-related aviation agreements. For instance, in November 2023, Dubai Airshow, Ablo, one of the world’s largest turboprop lessors, and ATR, a regional aircraft manufacturer, forged an agreement for a definitive order of 10 aircraft, with options for another 10 aircraft. Similar procurement patterns are anticipated to be placed during the forecast period, thereby rendering a positive outlook for the market in the UAE during the forecast period.
