GLOBAL BUSINESS JET DELIVERIES DECLINE 20% WITH PANDEMIC

Global business jet deliveries declined 20.4 per cent to 644 aircraft in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic weighed on production earlier in the year, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association said Wednesday. While business jet makers like General Dynamics Corp's Gulfstream, Bombardier Inc and Textron saw a rebound in deliveries during the last three months of 2020, the industry does not expect a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels this year. Business aviation has recovered faster from the pandemic than commercial airlines. “The buyers are no longer asking the questions … about the aircraft in terms of performance,” said Mike Amalfitano, CEO of Embraer SA's executive jets division. “They're focused on how clean it is.”