General Atomics

ADS sees signs of a stabilising aircraft market

Commercial aircraft orders grew by almost two thirds in February 2025 compared to February 2024 according to ADS, with 27 narrowbody aircraft ordered in February 2025, even though no wide body aircraft orders were placed.


 
Image by Ricardo / copyright Shutterstock

The latest commercial aircraft data from the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space trade association further highlights a sustained growth in aircraft deliveries, with 86 delivered in February 2025. The ADS dataset highlights 13% year-on-year growth in aircraft deliveries and the highest for the month since 2019.

ADS data reflects a stabilising market and a steadying backlog of 15,767 aircraft orders. While this still accounts for £255 billion and around 14 years’ worth of work, this marks a slow departure from the record backlog figures seen in recent years.

Aimie Stone, Chief Economist at ADS commented on the figures: “February 2025 data is promising. Both orders and deliveries are showing steady albeit gradual improvement, indicating that market pressures – including workforce issues and regulatory hurdles – are gradually easing, as the deliveries of aircraft come through.

While the stabilising backlog will reassure investors, the absence of widebody orders this month could be a concern for UK manufacturers, given their exposure to the widebody market. This trend, if it continues, will need to be closely watched alongside growing demand for single-aisle aircraft.”

Related

Pakistan International Airlines bolsters UK network with Birmingham resumption and more London flights
Pakistan International Airlines Boeing 777 landing
Pakistan International Airlines bolsters UK network with Birmingham resumption and more London flights
PIA will expand its network in the United Kingdom as it resumes flights to Birmingham and increases London Heathrow to 7x weekly.
Aerospace

24 Oct 2026

Turning carbon into cleaner jet fuel: OXCCU reaches major milestone
OX1
Turning carbon into cleaner jet fuel: OXCCU reaches major milestone
Oxford clean-fuel innovator OXCCU has passed independent testing of its CO₂-derived sustainable aviation fuel, bringing its low-cost, scalable technology a step closer to commercial reality.
Aerospace Member News

24 Oct 2026

Filton recognised by AIAA as Historic Aerospace Site
CONCORDE PASSES OVER THE CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN BRISTOL ON ITS FINAL FLIGHT TO ITS BIRTH PLACE IN FILTON, WHERE IT WILL REMAIN.
Filton recognised by AIAA as Historic Aerospace Site
The Filton site and airfield has been recognised by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) for its contribution to aviation, as the world’s longest continuously operating aircraft design and manufacturing site.
Aerospace

23 Oct 2026

Royal Engineers trial new construction methods for conflict and disaster zones
Royal Engineers Museum
Royal Engineers trial new construction methods for conflict and disaster zones
At the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham, Kent, soldiers from the Corps of Royal Engineers evaluated ongoing research aimed at the development of practical reconstruction solutions for real-life scenarios in environments impacted by conflict, where resources for making concrete are limited.
Roke appoints Jo Rayson as its first COO
Roke HQ, Romsey
Roke appoints Jo Rayson as its first COO
Responsibility for the expansion of Roke's systems and infrastructure has been entrusted to its first ever Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jo Rayson.
Defence Member News

23 Oct 2026

Royal Navy leads AUKUS submarine-hunting trials using autonomous systems
09 Mar 2026- Exercise SPRING SABRE Building on the success of trials and tests in 2025, Exercise Spring Sabre landed in Plymouth in early March, to develop and manage the diversity of uncrewed maritime and airborne available to a Hybrid Navy construct. Utilising the unique and diverse environments on offer across Plymouth Sound, Ex Spring Sabre has been able to improve collaboration between operators as well as reduce the duplication of effort and make planned operations more efficient. Falling under the AUKUS Pillar II - Maritime Big Play programme, in which sees UK, Australia, and the United States test and integrate autonomous systems, the Exercise enabled several Industrial partners to share command-and-control software and grow a baseline for using autonomous kit in a Littoral setting.
Royal Navy leads AUKUS submarine-hunting trials using autonomous systems
The UK is leading anti-submarine warfare experiments in San Diego as Australia, the UK and the US test how crewed warships, underwater vehicles and autonomous systems can operate together.
Defence

23 Oct 2026

ClearSpace and Eutelsat sign term sheet to advance Phoenix GEO life-extension services
Artificial rendering of Phoenix approaching a client satellite.
ClearSpace and Eutelsat sign term sheet to advance Phoenix GEO life-extension services
A new agreement between ClearSpace and Eutelsat has established a framework for cooperation on the Phoenix mission and future commercial life-extension services, bringing satellite operator expertise into the development of next-gen in-orbit servicing capabilities.
Member News Space

22 Oct 2026

UK Space Agency opens £2m fund to bring satellite data into new markets
Satellite
UK Space Agency opens £2m fund to bring satellite data into new markets
UK businesses can partner with space suppliers to test satellite-enabled environmental and emissions services, with applications closing on 11 December.
Space

21 Oct 2026

Newquay could host twice-daily space flights under new plan
Aurora - Flight 61, Scout Space - High Altitude
Newquay could host twice-daily space flights under new plan
Spaceport Cornwall and Dawn Aerospace are exploring plans to bring reusable spaceplane operations to Newquay, with ambitions for twice-daily flights to the edge of space.
Aerospace Space

20 Oct 2026

Hostile states are exploiting public information. UK organisations must respond
Headshot for Jack Borthwick at Fivecast
Hostile states are exploiting public information. UK organisations must respond
Jack Borthwick, account director, EMEA, at Fivecast, argues that AI-enabled open-source intelligence can help organisations spot hostile activity earlier.
Security

24 Oct 2026

Royal Engineers trial new construction methods for conflict and disaster zones
Royal Engineers Museum
Royal Engineers trial new construction methods for conflict and disaster zones
At the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham, Kent, soldiers from the Corps of Royal Engineers evaluated ongoing research aimed at the development of practical reconstruction solutions for real-life scenarios in environments impacted by conflict, where resources for making concrete are limited.
Met Office secures new five-year Heathrow Airport weather support contract
Aircraft wing
Met Office secures new five-year Heathrow Airport weather support contract
A renewed five-year agreement will see Met Office meteorologists continue delivering round-the-clock weather intelligence to help Heathrow prepare for disruption and keep passengers and cargo moving.
Aerospace Security

23 Oct 2026