In 2016, planes carried us more than 7 trillion kilometres a year and the trajectory looks set to continue.

The problem here isn't selling planes. It's making planes. The number of overall orders have increased heavily. In the context of high-growth, companies in this sector are faced with a large number of challenges: securing production ramp-ups, integrating new technologies and the digitization of services and processes. Burgeoning competition across space and defense, particularly between the US and Europe, is fostering innovation and investment.

We see three key trends in this sector for the coming years:

1. The industry is expanding

Airlines are struggling to meet capacity and building increasing numbers of aircraft to meet continually-rising consumer demand. Airbus delivered more than 600 aircraft in 2016. Boeing’s worldwide fleet will have more-or-less doubled between 2015 and 2035.

Yet the challenges of ramping up and meeting deadlines are enormous, with airline companies waiting ten years on average between contract and delivery. The costs associated with delays, interruptions or forces majeures can be astronomical.

Meanwhile, we have to organise to face the future. With the market turning from supersize passenger aircraft to mid-size - and airports competing to be passenger hubs - key innovations will come in improving the passenger experience. Mid-air connectivity, cabin layouts and facilitating greater airport capacity will be crucial.

We can provide sophisticated customer services and support across the passenger experience. We can also step in when it comes to Maintenance and Repair Operations, providing research and development for IT services and reviewing and testing new product developments.

2. Space is expanding

Further up - above the stratosphere - the privatisation of space continues at warp speed. Funding of NASA fell from 4.5% to 0.5% of the Federal Budget in the 50 years to 2014. Private companies are receiving commissions from the Agency to pick up the slack.

The creation of reusable rockets and shuttles for consumer and commercial space activities has escalated over the last five years, launched primarily by the efforts of private enterprise.

The engineering challenges involved in making sustainable, private space programmes are significant, from the design and manufacture of new rockets and passenger modules to the development of new materials to ensure safety and comfort.

We have a global network of close to 30,000 Colleagues with cross-domain expertise in manufacturing engineering and IT services. Our Colleagues can mobilise rapidly to help your business approach the design, testing and roll-out of innovative new designs and products.

3. Green skies

There's an increasing thrust towards greener transport. While that manifests itself for the consumer in the ever-growing presence of electric cars and greener vehicles, the huge surge in aircraft usage, particularly in developing markets, require deeper thinking on how to improve the efficiency and environmental impact of air and space travel.

Aeronautics has a big impact on the environment. Aviation alone is responsible for 1.5% of global 'man-made' greenhouse gas emissions. With a single 747 burning 36,000 gallons of fuel over the course of a ten-hour flight, it's no surprise. It's not likely that in the coming decades we'll be able to entirely remove fossil fuels from the equation, but it is likely that batteries, hydrogen fuel cells and biofuels will have their place in reducing harmful emissions. If the commercial aviation industry could use 6% biofuel, it could cut its total footprint by 6%.

Our services include tailoring environmentally-friendly solutions to meet your aeronautics needs at our Centers of Excellence or Delivery Centers. Here you can outsource entire projects or processes with the work carried out onshore, nearshore or offshore, always to the highest standards.

How Modis can help

With service excellence our focus, our solutions connect you with the world’s smartest minds, to assist with the development and delivery of your products or services.

Manufacturing & Supply-chain
Quality and Project Management
IT operations
Hardware design, prototyping and testing
Application Support
Data Center & Network Support
Project Management
Agile/SCRUM

Our specialisms

Browse all specialisms

Aeronautics Space and Defense