(Photo: Bombardier)

MonTREAL — Bombardier Aerospace continued to feel the effects of a sluggish global economy last year as business jet deliveries missed company forecasts and net new orders fell dramatically.

Bombardier Inc. said Monday it delivered 238 aircraft in 2013, missing its own forecast on lower-than-expected business jet shipments, and received 19 per cent fewer orders during 2013.

The Montreal-based manufacturer says it delivered five more than in 2012 but shipped 10 fewer business aircraft than it had predicted because of the transition to updated Learjet 70 and 75 planes despite the growth in the number of large Global aircraft. Deliveries of commercial aircraft met its guidance and equalled 2012 shipments.

Bombardier said Monday that it delivered 180 business jets, 55 commercial aircraft and three amphibious aircraft.

It received 388 orders net of cancellations, compared to 481 booked in 2012. Last years total included 305 net orders for business planes, 81 for commercial planes and two water bombers. In 2012, it received orders for 343 business jets, 138 commercial planes and no water planes.

The global economy has remained persistently sluggish, and with its recovery taking longer than originally anticipated, 2013 continued to be a challenging year for aviation, stated aerospace president and chief operating officer Guy Hachey.

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Despite this difficult environment, we put in a solid performance overall. We had a successful order intake that included firm orders from a broad base of customers located in both traditional and emerging markets.

Flexjet and VistaJet ordered business jets while American Airlines, the Ilyushin Finance Co. of Russia and Iraqi Airways ordered commercial planes, including the new CSeries plane whose entry-into-service has been delayed again until the second half by 2015.

Hachey said Bombardiers strategy of diversifying its geographic reach gained momentum in 2013 with orders from customers based in Africa, Asia-Pacific, China, the Middle East and Russia.

Last years business jet deliveries included 29 Learjets, 89 Challengers and 62 large Globals. In 2012, it delivered 39 Learjets, 86 Challengers and 54 Globals.

Shipments of regional jets nearly doubled to 26 from 14, while deliveries of Q400 turboprops decreased 19 per cent to 29 from 36 in the prior year.

Commercial aircraft orders fell 41 per cent last year as the number of CRJs ordered decreased to 30 from 73 planes and Q400s dropped to 17 from 50. CSeries orders increased to 34 from 15 in 2012.

On the Toronto Stock Exchange, Bombardiers shares gained three cents at C$4.14 in Monday morning trading.