Building business jets is a tough, competitive, complicated enterprise and the industry is enduring hard times, according to a U.S. International Trade Commission report (PDF) released last week. That may not sound like news to most of those in the industry but the report is a stab at explaining how all those factors add up to the current state of affairs. “Competition is strong, frequent cutting-edge updates are necessary, and demand is cyclical,” the report says. It was ordered by the House Ways and Means Committee.
While the business is a difficult one, the report points out that there are at least seven companies besides the six main players that want to enter the market. While the conclusions of the report may not be terribly illuminating to those living it, there is considerable detailed analysis of the external and internal forces at work, although many of the names and organizations in the footnotes will also be familiar to those who follow the industry.
