Global 7000 and 8000 Program Under Review, Embraer BizJet Deliveries Up, Business Jet Market Uptick

Bombardier Global 7000/8000 Program Under Review

It’s customary for new leadership teams to conduct broad product-portfolio reviews, and while they rarely result in wholesale changes to major programs, they sometimes lead to surprising outcomes that observers may not have anticipated.

In the case of Bombardier Inc., where the board of directors in recent months installed a new president and CEO and also approved the appointment of a new president of the Business Aircraft unit, at least one defining program is under review: the Global 7000/8000, two ultra-long-range, large-cabin jets designed to compete against the likes of the Gulfstream Aerospace’s G650 and G650ER.

For the time being, work obviously is well advanced and proceeding. The first Global 7000 flight test vehicle is taking shape in final assembly, with major structural parts joined—including the rear, center and forward fuselages, main landing gear and the wing, according to a Bombardier official.

Embraer Business Jet Business Picks Up in Second Quarter

Embraer has seen a pickup in business jet deliveries in the second quarter of 2015 and has recorded a record backlog of more than $22.9 billion. During second quarter, the company delivered 27 jets to the commercial aviation market and 33 jets to the business aviation market, for a total of 60 aircraft, compared to 58 aircraft delivered the same period last year. The company announced $2.6 billion in firm orders at the Paris Air Show…

Nextant hands over first 400XTi to PlaneSense

Nextant Aerospace has delivered the first 400XTi to US fractional ownership company PlaneSense, bringing total deliveries of its remanufactured and re-engined Beechjet/Hawker 400A/XP business jet – introduced in 2011 – to nearly 60.

PlaneSense will incorporate the light twin in to its fleet before the end of the month. This is the first aircraft from an order for up to five 400XTis, placed by the Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based company in March. The second unit is scheduled for delivery later this year.

Business Jet Market to See Steady Uptick

A new report from Research and Markets finds the global business jet market to be worth an estimated $21.5 billion as of 2014 and is projected to grow at 2.8 percent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) through 2033. The demand for business jets continues to recover steadily since the 2008 economic downturn with aircraft delivery numbers in 2014 registering a 6.5 percent year-on-year growth rate.

The growth is driven by economic recovery, a surge in demand for heavy jets and introduction of a number of new aircraft programs by the industry Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) incorporating cutting edge technologies and innovations translating into enhanced performance capabilities, safety features and optimized operating economics.

The delivery numbers continue to be dominated by Bombardier in volume terms and led by Gulfstream in value terms respectively with the duo collectively holding over 70 percent market share based on revenues in 2014 with continued, robust demand growth in the heavy and medium jets segments.