North American MRO Labor Hour Demand Will See Modest Growth

North American MRO labor-hour demand is projected to account for just 25.7% of worldwide labor hours over the next decade, with over 63,400 service events through 2032, showing a compound annual growth rate of just 0.8%.

The 2023 edition of Aviation Week’s Commercial Aviation Fleet & MRO Forecast projects how the world’s engine fleet and aftermarket will evolve over the next 10 years. North American labor-hour demand increases from just over 240.4 million hr. in 2023 to over 260.9 million hr. in 2032. The increase in the fleet and the commensurate utilization expected will drive the MRO hours increase over the 10-year period, creating demand that exceeds $2.5 billion.

The forecast projects that the Boeing aircraft families will account for the majority of MRO hours, capturing 14.9% of the total, followed by the Airbus aircraft families (6.3%) and Embraer aircraft (2.0%). Narrowbodies will account for the majority of hours, comprising 55.4%, followed by widebodies at 33.9%.