Zenith Jet vice president of aviation services George Tsopeis expects Bombardier to unveil a new ultra-long-range aircraft next month at the NBAA Convention in Atlanta. He made the prediction late last week during a Desjardins Securities conference call about the 10-year outlook for the business jet market. In a follow-on interview, Tsopeis told AIN that he "strongly believes" Bombardier will launch an upgraded Global Express XRS as a competitive response to the Gulfstream G650. In his view, the upgrades would consist of a new, more powerful engine, essentially the same Rolls-Royce BR725 that powers the G650; wringing more aerodynamic efficiencies out of the current XRS wing; an updated and lighter-weight interior; and the new Bombardier Global Vision cockpit system that's already in certification testing. If Bombardier eschews a fuselage stretch for the upgrade, an upgraded XRS could be ready to deliver to customers in 2013, just a year after G650 deliveries begin, Tsopeis told AIN. He estimates that it would cost Bombardier between $200 and $300 million to develop and certify these upgrades, versus more than $1 billion to do a new clean-sheet ultra-long-range jet. "An upgraded XRS could be a better value than the Gulfstream G650," Tsopeis concluded. Bombardier said it would not comment on rumor or speculation.