The business aviation market’s shift toward larger aircraft continues, and the effect on the industry is growing, according to Teal Group’s latest annual business jet overview. “Last year saw a welcome but largely meaningless upturn, with an impressive 16.3-percent increase in deliveries by value,” said Teal vice president of analysis Richard Aboulafia. “But all of this growth came from large-cabin jets, particularly Gulfstream’s G650. All the smaller segments remained firmly stuck in first gear.”

During the 2008 to 2012 decline, the top half of the market–jets costing $26 million and more–actually grew slightly in value, he added, while the bottom half suffered a catastrophic 56-percent drop. “The growth we saw in 2013 means that market bifurcation has gone into overdrive,” Aboulafia explained.

“This is currently the only business jet with a premium in the used market that I’m aware of,” Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Abouafia told AIN. “Gulfstream has a five-year head start over Bombardier’s Global 7000, which won’t enter the market until 2017. It’s almost unheard of for anyone to have this kind of market all to themselves for this long."