GSE includes all equipment that is used at airports to cater to aircraft between flights to handle passengers, cargo, and aircraft at the ground level. Ground handling services are provided either by airlines, airports, or third-party contractors to provide facilities for aircraft from landing until take-off, as aids in handling tasks such as aircraft maintenance, maneuvering, refueling, and so on at airports. GSE majorly comprises aircraft pushback tugs, tow tractors, container loaders, passenger buses, cabin service vehicles, deicers, Ground Power Units (GPUs), aerial lifts, test units, forklifts, belt loaders, and boarding stairs, among others.

The Ground Support Equipment vendors are placed into 4 categories based on their performance and reviews in each criterion: “visionary leaders,” “innovators,” “dynamic differentiators,” and “emerging companies".

Vendors who fall under this category receive high scores for most evaluation criteria. They have an established product and service portfolio and a strong market presence. They also adopt strong business strategies.

Established vendors with strong business strategies fall under this the category of dynamic differentiators. However, they have a weaker product and service portfolio as compared to their competitors. They generally focus on a specific type of technology related to a particular product.

Innovators are vendors who have demonstrated substantial product innovations as compared to their competitors. They have a robust product and service portfolio. However, they do not have strong growth strategies for their overall business.

Vendors with niche product and service offerings, who have begun to gain a foothold in the market fall under this category. They do not have strong business strategies as compared to other established vendors. They might be new entrants and may require more time before gaining significant traction in the market. Under the commercial segment of the GSE market, very large aircraft, wide-body aircraft, narrow-body aircraft, and regional aircraft are considered for the study. GSE are an integral part of supporting ground operations such as cargo and passenger loading, ground power operations, refueling, and aircraft mobility. For instance, various equipment are used for providing ground power/air conditioning to help start aircraft engines, operate instruments, and provide lighting and air conditioning while an aircraft is on the ground. Air starter vehicles with a built-in engine are used to provide air for the initial rotation of a large engine when the aircraft engines are started. GPUs comprise mobile generators that provide power to parked aircraft when their engines are not in use. Air conditioning units are used to provide cooled or heated air to the parked aircraft. With the increase in passenger traffic, the frequency of flights is also increasing. This is expected to lead to increasing demand for GSE to support numerous ground operations. The growth of the commercial segment can be attributed to the growing demand for GSE to cater to the increasing commercial air passenger and cargo traffic. Under the defense segment of the GSE market, military aircraft such as fighter aircraft, military transport or cargo aircraft, and other multi-mission aircraft such as Lockheed Martin’s MC 130 are considered for the study. GSE for military aircraft are relatively different than the ones used for commercial aircraft. Some of the GSE used for military applications are munitions handling or loading units, airborne loaders or air portable cargo handling dock, hydraulic test stands, and other GPUs.