Airbus forecasts that demand for passenger aircraft in China will weigh in at 2,800 aircraft through the year 2026. The forecast need translates to $329 billion worth of aircraft and represents more than one tenth of the world’s total forecast demand for the period. China’s passenger fleet is expected to triple in size over the next 20 years to meet passenger and cargo traffic, which are expected to grow five to six times, respectively. China’s mainland traffic is expected to require nearly 700 large passenger jets and, Airbus forecasts, 190 VLAs … or, very large aircraft like the double-decker A380. Airbus has already increased its market share in China to nearly 38 percent (up from 7 percent in 1995) and is shooting for control of 50 percent of the market by 2011. For 2007, Airbus delivered about 15 percent of its new aircraft to China. The company is reportedly considering a joint venture in China that would produce composite aircraft components for the manufacturer.
