According to research from ArcosJet, an aircraft sales and acquisitions specialist headquartered in Dubai, Bombardier models represent 30 per cent of the Russian and CIS owners' fleet, with the Gulfstream line right behind with a 21 per cent market share. The most popular is the Bombardier Global family, counting up to 70 aircraft, while ArcosJet analysts expect it to slightly expand its share as deliveries of the newest Global 6500 and 7500 models take place in the next couple of years.

“No surprise here as we know Bombardier holds a very strong position in the region, with its wide Global long-range lineup and a very successful large and midsize Challenger family,” states Mikhail Alenkin, ArcosJet CEO and founder. “And these products are always among our strong recommendations to our customers due to their reliability, cost and performance combination, and reasonable pricing.”

Research also shows that 72 per cent of the over 400 Russian and CIS owned aircraft are large and long range business jets with only 20 per cent making up light and midsize aircraft, and the remaining eight per cent being business liners and converted airliners.

“The local owners' preferences are not driven by claims for luxury or billionaire lifestyles. When a common city pair distance approaches 3,000 km and an average route is more than three flight hours, you need acceptable cabin comfort, longer range and substantial payload,” Alenkin adds. “Meanwhile, we see an increase in the midsize and light fleet segments and expect this trend to grow stronger in the future.”

The latest members of the Global family, the Global 7500 and Global 6500, may further expand Bombardier's long-range market share, however not at a large scale, according to analyst findings. Gulfstream's position in the Russia and CIS market is also strong, and its newest model G700 is considered as a significant market driver. Dassault's long-range Falcon 7X and 8X also enjoy solid representation on the local market, with a total count around 30 aircraft.