Bombardier forecasts a near doubling in business jet sales

Montreal: Business jet manufacturer, Bombardier Inc, says it expects global business jet deliveries to rise by an annual average of almost 75 per cent over the next decade, compared to levels prevailing in the past decade.

In a forecast released yesterday, the Montreal-based company's air division, Bombardier Aerospace, has said that the corporate aircraft market is expected to see 9,950 deliveries, excluding very light jets, between 2007 and 2016, for market-wide revenues of $227 billion.

The forecast compares with the industry average of more than 572 jets a year, delivered from 1997 to 2006, and represents a near doubling of numbers.

According to Bombardier, stable US economic growth, robust international orders and new aircraft models would propel growth in business-jet sales.

A robust business jet market has been responsible for a rise in Bombardier profits over the past few years, helping the manufacturer offset a declining market for regional jets.

Regional Jets
For the global market in regional jets, Bombardier has forecast demand at about $393 billion over the next 20 years, which is higher than the company's year-earlier projection for the market.

Airline capacity, it said, is expected to double over the next 20 years, with higher fuel prices likely to see operators clamping down on operating costs.