A World of Opportunity
Amandine Crabtree Washington State Dept . of Commerce www . commerce . wa . gov
WASHINGTON STATE DEPT . OF COMMERCE
By Amandine Crabtree and Nicole Gunkle , Washington State Department of Commerce
As air travel recovers from disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic , diversification of suppliers and buyers have become even more crucial for the aviation and aerospace industry . With some of the fastest-growing markets for passenger travel , the aerospace industry in Southeast Asia , Australia , and New Zealand is expected to continue growing over the next few decades , creating opportunities for Washington State companies to expand their products and services abroad .
WASHINGTON STATE DEPT . OF COMMERCE
Nicole Gunkle Washington State Dept . of Commerce www . commerce . wa . gov
44 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS
Australia / New Zealand
Overall , US aerospace exports to Australia amounted to US $ 967million , and to New Zealand , exports amounted to US $ 547 million . With new projects and the easing of restrictions , Washington exporters can find opportunities to export in Australia and New Zealand .
Regional leaders in commercial aviation , such as Qantas and Virgin airlines , have over 200 Boeing passenger aircraft in service in the commercial airline sector . For their recovery plans , Qantas and Virgin airlines have committed billions of dollars to expand their Boeing aircraft fleets and change the aviation experience for customers . With this expansion comes opportunities for exporters to supply products such as avionics , ground equipment , parts , and component supplies for aircraft maintenance , repair , and overhaul of US-manufactured airplanes . However , the commercial airline market prefers to source major equipment directly from manufacturers and obtain OEM spares from approved suppliers .