Bombardier Numbers Up

Business is picking up for Bombardier, particularly in the business jet sector where it's been ideally positioned for the continuing big jet boom. The Montreal-based company, the world's third-largest aircraft manufacturer, delivered 163 business jets in the 11 months that ended Dec. 31. That compares to 155 delivered in the previous fiscal year and the trend will continue into next year. The company took orders for 249 aircraft (commercial and business) in the 11-month period compared to 201 in the previous fiscal year. "Within this uncertain economic environment, our large business aircraft segment has done extremely well, as seen by our Global business jets family where we have seen continuous growth," Bombardier Aerospace Chief Operating Officer Guy Hachey said in a statement. Bombardier's growth matches industry optimism in other quarters.

Avionics maker Rockwell Collins predicted the long-awaited recovery for business jets will take hold this year. "There's no subtlety: they're going up in rate," Rockwell Collins CEO Clay Jones told Bloomberg in reference to production by major business jet makers. He said the recovery seems to be at hand and "now I can say that more confidently." Rockwell Collins also makes the panel for the Boeing 787 and it's doubled production to four a month as Boeing tries to get caught up with its Dreamliner backlog.