May 24, 2017
As the final day of the 2017 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2017) wrapped up, organizers said the show was one of the most successful in recent memory, reinforcing its reputation as the industry’s most important event in Europe.
EBACE is jointly hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). This year’s show took place from May 22 to 24 at Geneva’s Palexpo conference center and Geneva International Airport.
“Anyone who spent the last week at EBACE can see the passion and professionalism that define this industry,” said EBAA CEO Brandon Mitchener. “This show was full of energy and excitement for the future, with amazing technology on display, in-depth policy discussions and more than a few deals closed.”
Mitchener joined EBAA as CEO in April 2017, and this year attended EBACE for the first time. “I’m thrilled to be a part of this industry at such a pivotal time,” he said. “Business aviation in Europe is growing, and this show featured several new business models that offer new opportunities to grow the market further.”
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen agreed, stating: “This show was an all-around success for attendees, exhibitors and the entire industry. This week once again highlighted the enduring value of EBACE, and of business aviation around the world. Clearly, ours remains a forward-looking industry, and we are confident EBACE will continue to be an important part of its future.”
Bolen and Mitchener pointed to several indicators illustrating the strength of this year’s EBACE. For example:
- EBACE2017 featured more than 400 exhibitors400 exhibitors, representing nearly 40 different countries, on the show floor.
- Many of the exhibitors unveiled new products and services at EBACE2017, and more than 450 journalists from Europe and around the world covered the event.
- At EBACE2017, 56 aircraft were on display at Geneva International Airport, and three more aircraft were displayed inside the Palexpo exhibit hall. Several aircraft were at EBACE for the first time.
- The week kicked off with an inspiring Opening General Session address by solar aviation pioneer, Dr. Bertrand Piccard. As the first pilot to fly around the world entirely on solar power – aboard the groundbreaking Solar Impulse aircraft – Piccard predicted innovation would lead aviation toward a more sustainable future.
- Panels and education sessions held throughout the show covered timely and important issues, such as the implications of Brexit for business aviation, expanding opportunities for young professionals, security and top advocacy priorities across Europe.
- The EBACE2017 programming also included two well-attended day-long seminars – with expert analysis and advice for aircraft transactions and business aviation safety.
- The first EBACE Careers in Business Aviation Day introduced more than 250 high school and university students, from about 120 area schools across Europe, to the broad range of opportunities in the industry.
“This was an incredible show, from start to finish,” said Mitchener. “As EBACE draws to a close, I know that our industry faces real challenges and thrilling opportunities, and I am confident that business aviation in Europe will rise to the moment, and that our future is brighter than ever before.”
Next year’s EBACE will return to Palexpo and Geneva International Airport on May 29-31, 2018.
EBAA Communications
Strong July Bolsters Business Aviation Traffic Figures in Europe
Brussels, 16 August 2017: European business aviation traffic figures continued to climb in July, with 5.7% growth compared to a year earlier, and furthering a positive trend that began in late 2016.
“We are pleased to report that business aviation movements in Europe in July once again demonstrated robust year-on-year growth, continuing the sector’s uninterrupted rise in traffic figures for the ninth month running,” says Brandon Mitchener, EBAA CEO, citing data provided by Eurocontrol. “This is the strongest growth in 10 years for the month of July,” he adds.
The Eurocontrol traffic figures cover departures, arrivals, internals and overflights (DAIO) in the Single European Sky area.
See the July 2017 Business Aviation Traffic Tracker Europe.
Business Aviation Traffic Growth Continues Positive Trend in June
Brussels, 6 July 2017: Traffic figures for European business aviation in June were up by 5.3% compared to a year earlier, continuing a positive trend that began in late 2016.
“Business aviation movements in Europe once again showed a healthy year-on-year increase this past month, marking eight consecutive months of sustained growth,” says Brandon Mitchener, EBAA CEO, citing data provided by Eurocontrol. “What is more, with +6.2% year-on-year growth for the January-June 2017 period, this is the strongest showing for this period in a decade.”
Is Europe Turning Corner in Business aviation ?
Brussels, 4 May 2017: Presenting the state of the European business aviation industry at its annual press conference, Brandon Mitchener, the new CEO of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), said that the sector was showing promising signs of vigour after a few years of flat figures.
“We’ve now had six months of steady growth in traffic numbers and they’re the best since 2011,” said Mitchener. “This is an exciting time for business aviation, with innovative new aircraft, technologies and business models coming to the fore. The industry is looking dynamic as it expands its offerings for new and existing customers and aircraft owners.”
Mitchener underlined Business Aviation’s unmatched value proposition: meeting needs that no other transport option can satisfy by helping users gain direct access to destinations while achieving huge time savings, flexibility and full control over their schedules—even if their itineraries combine multiple and remote destinations.
“It’s a vibrant, evolving industry and many players are developing new ways of working that further expand customers’ freedom of choice,” said Mitchener. This includes online booking platforms with faster response times, more transparency and better pricing.
EBAA member company Stratajet pointed to the broader customer base thanks to the direct access to private jets through an online platform. “We are reaching out to new types of customers, one-third of whom are first-time private jet users, and many of whom are in the 25-34 age segment, comprising a tech-savvy new audience of fliers,” said Ricardo Gato, CMO of Stratajet.
Another area where customers are gaining more choice is in the use of single and twin engine turboprop offerings. Maxime Bouchard, Managing Director of JetFly Aviation, described the potential of that entry-level and versatile segment of business aviation following the European Aviation Safety Agency’s recent approval of single-engine turboprop aircraft for commercial operations in Europe.
This opens new possibilities for utilising a single-engine turboprop that has the same range and capacity as some business jets, according to Bouchard. “These aircraft can land on two to three times more airfields than a jet – some 2000 airfields in Europe compared to 800 for a jet. As a user, you get more choice, avoid congested airfields and can land closer to your destination,” said Bouchard.
Mitchener said this was an example of how EBAA was working on behalf of its members and the industry to ensure reasonable and proportionate rules for the sector, as well as to promote new technologies that enhance safety and access to smaller airports, including satellite-based navigation, instrument landing approaches such as LPV and augmented vision technologies.
EBAA Chairman, Juergen Wiese, added: “As we mark the 40th anniversary of our Association this year, we are happy to report a steady increase in our membership numbers as well as increasing levels of expertise and support that we are already able to provide our member companies. And we will continue to develop further these capabilities for our membership at this promising time for our industry.”
Looking to this month’s EBACE 2017, Mitchener said that the 17th edition of EBACE in Geneva was going to be “this year’s best and biggest business aviation event in Europe.”
“We have an exciting show lined up, highlighting where the sector is going and showcasing on the static display more than 50 of the latest generation of business aircraft and avionics equipment. In the Palexpo halls we have more than 400 exhibitors, and we’re pleased to have Bertrand Piccard, Founder and Pilot of Solar Impulse, the first aircraft to fly around the world entirely on solar power, as our keynote speaker,” said Mitchener.
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