Bombardier this week released its first-ever forecast for the business aviation market segments in which it competes, and the Canadian company’s crystal ball is about as rosy as anyone else’s. As far as new products go, Bombardier Aerospace president and COO Pierre Beaudoin said only that “our first priority is the Learjet line.” Excluding very light jets (VLJs), Bombardier foresees the delivery of 9,950 business jets worth $228 billion between 2007 and 2016, up significantly from the 5,722 jets worth $104 billion delivered in the past 10 years. At the end of last year, said Bombardier, the worldwide business jet fleet was estimated to be around 12,000. “With a yearly retirement rate of 0.5 to 1 percent of the fleet and deliveries as anticipated, the business jet fleet should grow to approximately 20,600 aircraft in 10 years. This impressive growth will put pressure on pilot training, service and maintenance facilities and all other aircraft infrastructures,” the forecast noted.