The CAAC has come out with an extraordinary prediction this month: Chinese airlines will nearly double their fleet size to as many as 5,000 aircraft by 2015. In the shadows of a major international air show on home soil, one might expect some bullish sentiment from the hosts. But the comment, by CAAC Head Li Jiaxiang, that the nation's domestic carriers will have an expected combined fleet of 4,800-5,000 aircraft in just five years (from 2,600 at present) is a breathtaking assessment. Even if it's only 50% accurate, aircraft manufacturers big and small are in for a bonanza.