For those who gaze into crystal balls and analyze the business jet market, there are heady days in store, according to recent industry prognostications. Honeywell Aerospace’s 21st annual business aviation market forecast predicts the industry can expect short-term record growth and delivery of more than 14,000 new business jets by 2017–numbers that reflect even more optimism than those the company released last year. “We’re going to come out fairly strong in terms of communicating that delivery growth continues through 2008 well into 2009, and we’re going to forecast 2008 being another record year,” said Rob Wilson, Honeywell Aerospace’s president for business and general aviation.
The Teal Group is making similar– though slightly more conservative–predictions in its 17th annual Business Jet Over-view. Most market forecasts are predicting, based on current backlogs, a 2009 peak to the boom the business aviation industry has been riding since its recovery from the slowdown after 9/11.
