Commercial Aviation Manufacturing: Supply Chain Challenges and Actions to Address Them

Aviation manufacturing is a major economic driver in the United States, with the largest trade balance (exports minus imports) among all U.S. manufacturing sectors. A global network of manufacturers and suppliers provides the aircraft and components that airlines in the United States rely on to support their operations. Aircraft manufacturers and their suppliers have faced headwinds in recent years, including steep declines in orders for new aircraft and supply chain disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As airlines respond to the rebound in demand for air travel that began in 2021, aviation manufacturers’ ability to provide new aircraft and parts is key to airlines’ efforts to maintain and grow their operations. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine challenges facing the aviation manufacturing supply chain. This report describes (1) what is known about demand for and production of new aircraft and parts since 2020, (2) factors affecting manufacturers’ production of new aircraft and parts and actions to mitigate these factors, and (3) how airlines have been affected by the availability of new aircraft and parts to support their operations. GAO analyzed data on new aircraft orders and deliveries from Boeing and Airbus along with data on aircraft production from Aviation Week Network for 2013 through 2023. GAO interviewed a non-generalizable sample of 38 stakeholders—including manufacturers and airlines—who were selected to achieve a range of perspectives.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106493.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106493HIGH.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  U.S. Government Accountability Office

  441 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20548
• Publication Date: 2024-3-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 45p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Airlines; Civil aviation; Manufacturing; Supply chain management
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Economics; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01911031
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GAO-24-106493
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 8 2024 9:14AM