Aeronautical Sector in Euskadi

The development of aviation, from the earliest flights conducted by the Wright brothers and Alberto Santos Dumont to the recent electric aviation, has transformed completely our view of the world and distance. Air transport has opened the doors to a better connected world which is more international than ever. A global world that wakes up in Europe, trades in Oceania and finishes its workday in the heart of Asia. From family members thousands of miles away from each other to multinational companies, society as a whole has benefited from the progress brought by the development of increasingly fast and efficient aircraft.

The growth of the aeronautical industry perfectly reflects the interest and human need to connect remote locations. There is a growing number of people who, embracing more comfort and speed, choose the plane as their means of transport. Between 1990 and 2020 passenger transport by air will have multiplied by four. Cargo transportation, highly encouraged by the development of international trade, has also experienced a significant increase. In addition, it is expected that the next decade will bring an increase even greater in demand. The development of Asian economies is, at this level, one of the main engines for growth. This trend will be maintained over the next few years, with Asian and pan-Pacific routes with greater escalation.

In order to cope with this demand, it will be necessary to significantly increase the aircraft fleet. This will be three times as great between 2010 and 2040, demanding the manufacturing of 56,000 new units.