Helicopter Simulator Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2024-2029)

The helicopter simulator market is expected to register a CAGR of more than 5% during the forecast period. The global aviation sector continued to stabilize in 2022 after experiencing a severe impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and a slow recovery in 2021. 

The military aviation sector is expected to grow as countries across the world have increased their defense budget and remain committed to sustaining their military capabilities. According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military expenditure has passed USD 2 trillion for the first time in 2021.

The helicopter simulator market is driven by the increasing demand for such systems from the global end-users to ensure proper training of aspiring pilots and accumulate total flight hours that is a prerequisite to obtaining the required license to operate helicopters, both commercial and military. 

The use of simulators may be restrained by technological restrictions such as high manufacturing costs and the complexity of the systems, which may offer limited replication of physiological and environmental factors that may affect the training of the candidates.

Helicopter Simulator Market Trends

Full Flight Simulators to Dominate Market Share During the Forecast Period

The technological superiority of full flight simulators (FFS) over their fixed base counterparts is one of the key factors bolstering the adoption of FFS during the forecast period. An FFS can replicate the flight parameters of the respective model it is designed for and uses advanced technology in areas of motion, visuals, communication, and air traffic.

Driven by increasing demand for trained pilots, several contracts for FFS have been awarded to the major market players, and several others are anticipated to be awarded during the forecast period. For instance, in June 2021, Brunner Elektronik was awarded a contract for the NovaSim mixed-reality (MR) FFS to Switzerland-based Lufthansa Aviation Training (LAT).

In 2020, FlightSafety and Brunner Elektronik demonstrated the NovaSim MR simulator integrated with FlightSafety's Mixed Reality Flight at the FlightSafety exhibit, configured as an Airbus EC145 helicopter. Similarly, in January 2020, Reiser Simulation and Training GmbH signed the final contract to deliver the first H135/H145 Level D FFS tailored for training pilots in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations.

Furthermore, with the high number of commercial, general aviation, and military aviation helicopters that are high in demand in the current scenario, the demand for full-flight simulators is expected to witness a positive growth rate. Such developments are expected to propel the growth of the segment during the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific to Witness Highest Demand During the Forecast Period

China, India, and a handful of other countries in Asia-Pacific are avid users of helicopters both in the military and commercial sectors. China is one of the largest rotorcraft users in the region, with a Y-o-Y fleet growth of more than 5%. 

The demand for helicopters is expected to increase further in the future due to an increase in demand for civil helicopters for applications such as VIP transportation, search and rescue, and news coverage, among others. Also, due to the regional geopolitical rift, several new models of military helicopters are being inducted into active service. For instance, the country planned to induct 121 Russian-made helicopters by 2020. 

The induction of such helicopters also necessitates the adoption of sophisticated simulator platforms to ensure proper training for the pilots before live operations. On this note, in June 2020, Alpha Design Technologies Limited became the first private company to provide helicopter simulator training to the pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The contract also entails setting up two simulation centers and providing 1,200 hours of training each year to the IAF pilots until 2040. Similar adoption patterns may emerge and be entertained by other countries in the region, therefore driving the demand for helicopter simulators during the forecast period.

Helicopter Simulator Industry Overview

The market for helicopter simulators has now started its transition towards becoming a fragmented one, with several vendors starting to offer their respective simulators for various end-user segments, comprising both sophisticated simulator types and simple ones. The slow growth in sales of helicopters in some of the mature markets, such as North America and Europe, has slightly hampered the sales of helicopter simulators in the past few years. 

Simultaneously, the growing demand for helicopters in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle-East countries has shifted the focus of several simulator original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from North America and Europe to countries like China, Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and India. Of late, collaborations and partnerships have played a major role in the success of aerospace and defense companies, as sharing of technology has boosted the growth of new simulators that can artificially create real-time critical situations for pilots during training.

Helicopter Simulator Market Leaders

• CAE Inc.
• FlightSafety International
• Moog Inc.
• L3Harris Technologies Inc.
• Raytheon Technologies Corporation

*Major players sorted in no particular order

Helicopter Simulator Market News

• July 2021: CAE Inc. delivered a new full flight simulator (FFS) to the Canadian Coast Guard, fulfilling the contract signed in February 2016 to support the Canadian Coast Guard's Fleet Renewal Plan.
• February 2021: Boeing announced the upgrade of its LCT Helicopter simulator to enhance the helicopter's cybersecurity and ensure user safety. This upgrade is also expected to improve the accuracy of the device.