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The nal touchdown… – This is the 166th and nal edition of the Airborne newsletter. Since the first issue appeared in October 2010, I have tried to document the ever-changing business aviation scene and the challenges imposed by a wider world. In this last editorial I take the opportunity to look back over the last 14 years and highlight some of the developments in the sector
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EBACE 2024 – focused on the long-term sustainability challenge – The commitment to sustainability and to achieve net zero carbon emissions was the over-arching focus of this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), held in Geneva from 28 to 30 May. Security was massively stepped up at this year’s event following the breaches of the Geneva airport perimeter by environmental protesters last year. While there was no repeat, the agenda was rmly on focused on this single challenge as the bizav sector demonstrated its commitment to change.
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Corporate registers – 2024 numbers – This month we publish our annual survey of aircraft under registration in a number of jurisdictions that are popular for the hosting of corporate jets and airliners. The data has once again been compiled by RANA from both o cial and uno cial sources.
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The White House targets business aviation – US President Joe Biden proposed a phased 500% increase in jet fuel taxes for private aircraft users and lengthening the depreciation terms for business aircraft as part of his USD109.3 billion budget request for the
Department of Transportation issued on 11 March. Taken together with the recent White House directive for the IRS to step up audits of business aircraft users, this is being seen as a targeted attack on business aviation sector.
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The 2023 bizav market – positivity and challenges – The bizav sector remained resilient in 2023 as “flight operations were strong, backlogs and lead-times at major OEMs were up, and inventory remained low, leaving the industry well positioned to weather any future economic downturn,” according to Global Jet Capital (GJC). In its latest Business Aviation Market Brief, the aircraft financing specialist offered a largely positive assessment, concluding: “The rapid expansion of the business jet market during the post-Covid recovery period slowed in 2023, although most indicators remained strong in comparison to pre-Covid levels.”
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The ‘big five’ OEMs – a challenging 2023 but a strong year ahead – The ‘big five’ bizav aircraft manufacturers all publish their annual review of delivery numbers in January. Each has faced challenges – from delayed certification of new models to continued supply chain issues – but they have all forecast strong or stronger performances for the year ahead.
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Guernsey’s 2-REG marks a decade of operations – Guernsey’s aircraft register, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last month, held 253 active aircraft as of 1 January. This total comprised 67 corporate jets, 16 corporate turboprops, 31 general aviation aircraft, 15 helicopters and 124 dormant commercial airliners.
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More eco-protests target bizav – Eco-protesters have targeted another European business aviation venue. Campaigners from a Portuguese group called Climáximo broke into Cascais-Tejo Regional Airport on 6 December, damaging a Bombardier Global Express with paint and chaining themselves to its wheels.
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‘Climbing fast’ at NBAA-BACE 2023 – Sustainability’ may have been the overriding theme at this year’s NBAA-BACE – held in Las Vegas from 17 to 19 October – but it was given additional focus with the launch of a new ‘Climbing. Fast.’ campaign. This multi-media advocacy campaign is intended to coordinate and elevate a message about the game-changing technologies that are fostering business aviation sustainability on the ground and in the air.
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NetJets and Textron break records – The bizav market headlines were dominated on 20 September by the announcement by fractional specialist NetJets and OEM Textron Aviation of an all-option fleet order for up to 1,500 Cessna Citation twinjets for delivery over the next 15 years. The value of the deal, which has been conservatively valued at some USD32 billion, cements the close relationship between the two industry heavyweights. NetJets has already taken delivery of some 800 Citations over the years. The order will be made up of Citation Latitude and Longitude. It will also include the smaller Ascend, an upgraded version of the Citation XLS+ that was unveiled at this year’s EBACE for service entry in 2025. The agreement to take the Ascend makes NetJets the first fleet operator of the new variant.
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Production and deliveries – a strong H1 across the board – New aircraft deliveries and overall billing have increased across all sectors of business and general aviation, according to the latest edition of The General Aviation Aircraft Shipment & Billing Report covering the first six months of 2023. The report, compiled by the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association (GAMA), found that OEMs delivered 1,299 fixed wing aircraft in the first half of 2023, against 1,176 in the same period last year –an uplift of 10.5%. The increase in overall aircraft billing was more modest at 1.4% – USD9.2 billion up to the end of June 2023, compared to USD9.1 billion in the same period last year.
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Q2 OEM performance – highs, lows and ‘issues’! -The ‘big five’ OEMs have now reported their Q2 performance, and it is a veritable mixed bag. While Embraer and Bombardier had a good three months, Gulfstream, Textron and Dassault all confirmed that their figures had been negatively impacted by continuing post-Covid supply chain issues as well as the war in Ukraine.
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Huge demand for aviation professionals by 2033 – There is predicted to be a global requirement for 1.3 million new aviation professionals over the next decade, according to Canadian aviation training specialist, CAE. This significant demand will be driven by expected growth in commercial and business aviation markets, retirements, attrition and industry expansion.
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EBACE 2023 – addressing sustainability amid protests – Protecting visitors and the integrity of the show and its exhibits was always going to be a priority at this year’s European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) given recent high-pro le protests targeting the business aviation sector worldwide. Organisers EBAA and NBAA had made sustainability the main theme of the show, held in Geneva from 23 to 25 May, but protests by climate activists were predicted.
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Corporate registers – 2023 numbers – This month, we publish our annual review of aircraft under registry in a number of jurisdictions that are popular for the hosting of corporate jets and airliners. The data has been compiled by RANA from both oficial and unofcial sources. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resultant wide-ranging international sanctions have clearly had a major impact on the numbers of registered aircraft under certain registries that have long been popular with Russian owners. Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the Isle of Man, in particular, have seen signifcant falls as aircraft have been de-registered, voluntarily or compulsorily, because of ownership links to sanctioned individuals or entities.
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Indigenous Russian aircraft cannot plug the bizjet gap – Last month’s Airborne featured the results of our analysis that showed a 35% increase in the Russian registered bizjet eet. But the re-registration of Western bizjets is only part of the story. As a direct result of international sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine, it is clear that operators of many of these aircraft will now have problems maintaining them. This will be fuelling demand for indigenous, Russian-made aircraft, but the available substitutes may not prove to be an attractive or viable solution, particularly in the case of what may be described as ‘VIP airliners’.
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Russia’s registered bizjet fleet – one year after the invasion – The first anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine seemed an appropriate time to look at the size of the bizjet fleet registered in Russia. RANA Director Brian T Richards has taken a snapshot of the RA- registered fleet in 2022 and compared it with the latest available data from official and unofficial sources.
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OEMs report delivery gains in 2022 and look to a bumper 2023 – Four of the ‘big ve’ OEMs have announced provisional or full results for 2022 and have also provided insights into their prospects for 2023.
Gulfstream Aerospace delivered 120 bizjets in 2022, up by one unit on its 2021 deliveries, and marginally below its own prediction of 124. Of this total, 96 were large cabin aircraft (G500, G600 and G650) and 24 mid-size G280. The outlook for 2023 is more promising with the Gulfstream predicting 145 deliveries by year end withrevenues expected to reach USD10.4 billion. The Savannah-based manufacturer is also holding rm on its estimate of 170 aircraft deliveries in 2024. Gulfstream further reported an increased aerospace backlog that is 20% higher than 2021 and 68% greater than 2020. Strong growth is reported in Middle East and Southeast Asia (away from mainland China).
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Used aircraft market ‘normalising’ after two-year frenzy – The mood music from the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) is clear and the message unequivocal – the used aircraft market is nally cooling slightly after the ‘frenzy’ of activity during the Covid pandemic.
Prior to publishing its Q4 market report later this month, IADA predicted that its members had completed more than 1,320 aircraft transactions totalling more than USD8.8 billion in 2022. This represents a modest fall against the 1,372 recorded in 2021. IADA’s 52 accredited dealers are responsible for 40% of the world’s pre-owned sales.
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Fuelling bizav in the Middle East – MEBAA returns – In 2018, when the last Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation (MEBAA) show was held, the world was a very di erent place. MEBAA 2022, which took place in Dubai from 6 to 8 December, opened against a backdrop of environmental protests against business aviation across Europe and recent calls by a French government minister for restrictions on bizav.
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Jersey government calls time on the aircraft register – TIn a particularly galling move for the authorities in Jersey, the last aircraft on the Jersey Aircraft Register (JAR) – a CitationJet CJ4 – was de-registered to neighbouring Guernsey on 27 October. The island’s government has now taken the decision to wind up the JAR, which had registered just four aircraft since its official launch in 2015. The financial results are striking. In response to a written question in the island’s parliament, the overall cost of the JAR was confirmed as £1.168 million against income of just £27,406. Despite several rebrands, the JAR failed to attract clients in direct comparison with 2-REG, the Channel Islands Register, based in Guernsey.
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Industry riding ‘momentum’ and ‘tailwinds’ – NBAA-BACE 2022 – The 2022 edition of the NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) is in full swing in Orlando, Florida, as this slightly delayed edition of Airborne is written. The three-day event, which opened on 18 October, is returning to the Orange County Convention Centre – which escaped the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Ian on other parts of Florida – for the first time since 2018 after the in-person event was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
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LABACE returns as Brazilian bizav traffc grows – The Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE) made a welcome return to São Paulo’s Congonhas airport for the first time since 2019. The event resumed to mark its 17th edition from 9 to 11 August, after a two-year absence for the Covid pandemic and against a backdrop of significant growth in business aviation in Brazil.
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Positive OEM Q2 deliveries – but issues remain – The Q2 delivery and order numbers are in and several of the big five OEMs have flagged up workforce and supply chain issues. Gulfstream Aerospace delivered 22 aircraft in Q2 (17 large cabin and five mid-size G280), which is one fewer than in the same period last year. The Savannah-based manufacturer cited an FAA airworthiness directive that limited crosswind operations with the G500 and G600 as causing several customers to defer deliveries until a software x is authorised.
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The NBAA view – “The future of business aviation has never looked brighter” – Ed Bolen, President and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), is a serial optimist. His opening message at the group’s White Plains Regional Forum was: “The future of business aviation has never looked brighter.”
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EBACE2022 – “lightning in a bottle” – “EBACE2022 has been lightning in a bottle, bringing people from across the world together to see, touch and feel the future of business aviation,” said Secretary-General of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) Athar Husain. “We depart Geneva driven by the innovation and enthusiasm turbocharged here at EBACE, thrilled to be part of an industry that’s leading, evolving and growing.”
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Q1 deliveries – mixed fortunes but upbeat forecasts – Four major OEMs have posted their Q1delivery numbers in the last month and while some of the headline gures have shown year-on-year falls, that is certainly not the whole story.
Gulfstream Aerospace delivered 25 jets in Q1 2022 (21 large cabin and four G280) against 28 in Q1 2021 (25 large cabin and three G280), but this can be attributed in large part to supply and production issues caused by the Omicron Covid variant at the start of the year. The Savannah-based OEM now predicts an increase in production and forecasts a total of 124 deliveries for the whole year, up from 119 in 2021. Its nancials are also strong with an operating margin of12.8% and an order backlog for the Aerospace division – including Gulfstream and Jet Aviation – that has increased from USD11.93 billion to USD17.62 billion.
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An estimated 470 business aircraft have “significant connections” to Russia and Belarus and are now subject to sanctions and operating restrictions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The threat of seizure of aircraft and the closure of airspace is likely to have a significant deadening impact on the bizav sector, which was riding high as the world emerged from the Covid pandemic, said Managing Director of WingX Advance Richard Koe during a presentation to the British Business & General Aviation Association (BBGA) conference in early March.
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Aviation sanctions hit Russia after Ukraine invasion – “We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains.” The words of US President Joe Biden in the State of the Union address pulled no punches and were reiterated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said: “So let me be very clear. Our airspace will be closed to every Russian plane – and that includes the private jets of oligarchs.”
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Gulfstream on course for record deliveries in 2024 – n 2008, just before the global nancial crisis, Gulfstream Aerospace delivered 156 business jets. This is still the high-water mark for the Savannah-based manufacturer. But during the Q4 investor call at the end of last month, the company said it con dently expects to shatter that record in 2024 by delivering an estimated 170 units.
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Bizjet ights break all records in 2021 – While bizav commentators wax lyrical about the huge order backlogs for OEMs, the challenges of ramping up production, the shortage of pre-owned aircraft and the fact that business aviation has captured a new client cohort, it is the tra c numbers that con rm that this optimism is not misplaced.
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Embraer’s Energia – ‘Sustainability in action’ – Embraer Executive Jets has adopted aggressive long-term sustainability goals that include achieving carbon neutrality by 2040, reaching net-zero carbon growth starting in 2022 and meeting industry goals to execute zero emissions by 2050. In pursuit of this ‘Sustainability in Action’ initiative, the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer has partnered with an international consortium of engineering universities, aeronautical research institutes and private enterprises to explore ways of using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in commercial aircraft designs.
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NBAA-BACE – Time to reconnect… – “There’s clearly a lot of excitement for NBAA-BACE … a pent-up desire for people to connect.” So said Ed Bolen, the NBAA’s president and CEO, summing up the annual NBAA-BACE event with a pithy epithet as it returned to Las Vegas from 12-14 October after a year’s virtual absence due to Covid restrictions..
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The Gulfstream family continues to expand… – Gulfstream Aerospace has certainly stolen the headlines in advance of this month’s ‘in person’ NBAA-BACE event in Las Vegas, despite choosing not to exhibit the show. At a ceremony at the firm’s headquarters in Savannah, Georgia, on 4 October, the OEM unveiled two all-new twinjets – the G400 and the G800. These new models bring the company’s new generation stable to six models and demonstrate a huge commitment to continued spending on research and development. The launch comes a year before entry into service of the manufacturer’s new flagship G700.
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New and pre-owned bizjet prices rising – The business jet market is now entering uncharted territory with prices rising for both pre-owned and new aircraft simultaneously.
As we reported last month, industry analysis shows that less than 5% of the pre-owned fleet is currently for sale. This historic low level of available stock has been met with a historic high level of first-time buyers drawn to business aviation as a more reliable alternative to commercial aviation during the Covid pandemic. These two factors have shifted the sector decisively
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Uncertainty again for Jersey Aircraft Registry – The Jersey Aircraft Registry (JAR) was relaunched last year as ‘the world’s first blockchain registry’ under a new partnership model between the Ports of Jersey and IT specialist TrustFlight (Jersey). But the JAR has again failed to gain any momentum and TrustFlight has now withdrawn from the operation. There are just three active aircraft on the registry – a Cessna Citation CJ4, a Beechcraft Baron and a BN Islander – and sole responsibility for the JAR has reverted to the Ports of Jersey.
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Global bizav traffic resurgent – The figures are remarkable and surprising. Global business aircraft activity has bounced back almost to pre-Covid levels, according to the latest data compiled by specialist analyst WingX Advance, and in the month of June jet and prop departures actually exceeded those in June 2019 by some 10%.
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Sound barrier – the end of AS2 – Regular readers of Airborne will have followed the high-profile development and progress of Aerion Supersonic to develop a new supersonic business jet – the AS2. It therefore came as a bitter blow when, on 21 May, the US manufacturer announced the cancellation of the AS2 programme, citing overwhelming financial pressures.
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Falcon 10X – a large cabin competitor – French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has taken on both the Bombardier Global 7500 and the Gulfstream G700 with the launch of its own large cabin, long-range agship. By far the largest of the Falcon family of bizjets, the t-tail 10X is expected to receive certi cation in 2025. The 10X will boast the largest cross-section of any purpose-built business jet – at 2.77m – compared to the 2.49m of the G700 and the 2.44m of the G7500. The cabin has been designed to give passengers the feel of a ‘high-end penthouse’ and will o er a cabin height of 2.03m – 0.15m greater than its rivals. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X turbofans, the 10X will o er a range of 13,890km (7,500nm), similar to its competitors, and will show a top speed of 1,133kph (Mach 0.925).
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Europe must prepare for post-Covid bizav operations – The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has made a clear and urgent call to the governments of the EU member states, the UK and Switzerland, as well as regulators and other interested groups that they need to work together to develop a series of harmonised rules that will enable the safe reopening of air travel after the Covid pandemic.
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NBAA’s Ed Bolen sees ‘helpful tailwinds’ pushing bizav in 2021 – Despite a decision to cancel ‘in-person’ events until the end of June, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen has pointed to ‘helpful tailwinds’ pushing a recovery for business aviation in 2021. In wide ranging comments made during successive podcasts, a ‘town hall forum’ and an appearance before the US House Subcommittee on Aviation, Bolen’s message was clear, realistic but optimistic.
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Another round of event cancellations – cancelled due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
On 4 February, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced the cancellation of EBACE 2021. Europe’s largest corporate aviation event had been scheduled to be held at the Palexpo site adjacent to Geneva International Airport from 18 to 20 May. The joint organisers also confirmed that they plan virtual programming to take place during the original show dates.
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Brexit deal agreed on paper but issues remain – The long-awaited 1,263-page draft of the Trade & Cooperation Agreement, setting out the future relationship between the European Union and the UK, was published on 26 December having been agreed in principle just two days earlier and with less than a week to go before the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December.
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‘Deal’ or ‘no deal’ Brexit – bizav urged to be prepared – UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is flying to Brussels for dinner with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as this edition of Airborne goes to digital press, in a last ditch attempt to keep the trade deal talks alive even as we hurtle toward the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December.
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The ‘Covid’ factor – Q3 deliveries slide – The OEM delivery figures for the third quarter of 2020 clearly demonstrate
the scale of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has unleashed on the
aviation sector.
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“Not all doom and gloom” – Business aviation Brexit – “We need to appreciate that the UK has left the EU now. That’s not going to change. So now we have to step up and take those opportunities,” said Aoife O’Sullivan, chair of the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) and partner in The Air Law Firm, in a recent webinar arranged by the lobby group.
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European bizav traffic rebounds in August – European bizav traffic levels in August were some 3% higher than in the same month last year, according to the latest data produced by specialist analyst WingX Advance, although this increase was accompanied by a reduction in flight hours, which would suggest that fights are being made over shorter average distances. The numbers have also been swelled by peaks of short notice demand as countries such as the UK have reintroduced some restrictions on arriving travellers.
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NBAA-BACE 2020 falls victim to Covid-19 – The domino effect continues. Following the cancellation of ABACE, EBACE and the Farnborough International Airshow, it was perhaps inevitable that NBAA-BACE 2020 would also fall to the pandemic. The world’s largest business aviation event was due to be held in Orlando, Florida from 6 – 8 October.
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NBAA-BACE 2020 falls victim to Covid-19 – The domino effect continues. Following the cancellation of ABACE, EBACE and the Farnborough International Airshow, it was perhaps inevitable that NBAA-BACE 2020 would also fall to the pandemic. The world’s largest business aviation event was due to be held in Orlando, Florida from 6 – 8 October.
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A ‘new normal’ – Covid-19 forces change on business aviation – A new and challenging ‘normal’ is beginning to emerge for business aviation, as aircraft traffic increases, countries begin to relax travel restrictions and parts of the sector, such as charter operators, see a spike in demand.
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Covid-19 – brisk and brutal changes to bizav- The Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on virtually every aspect of life in almost every part of the world but for the business aviation sector, given the ‘hobbling’ of both international and domestic travel with wide ranging and severe restrictions that have grounded swathes of aircraft, it has been brutal.
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Events, dear boy, events – global Covid-19 challenges.The late Harold Macmillan, when asked what was the most di cult thing about the job of being the Prime Minister, reportedly answered: “Events, my dear boy, events”. The fact that he may not actually have uttered these exact words really doesn’t matter. It would have been impossible to predict, even three months ago, that within just a few weeks a global pandemic would bring the world’s biggest economies to a standstill and force governments to introduce draconian measures to restrict people’s freedom of movement and association. Never before have events seemed quite so dramatic and fast moving.
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Covid-19 and the business aviation industry. As the Covid-19 outbreak continues to spread globally, sparking emergency measures worldwide and the worst stock market rout since the 2008 financial crisis, it was perhaps inevitable that the coronavirus story would headline this edition of Airborne. As this edition goes to press, Italy has just extended its emergency measures, which include travel restrictions and a ban on public gatherings, to the entire country.
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WEF 2020 – Highlighting bizav’s commitment to sustainability. Flying in the face of ygskam – the Swedish term for ‘ ight shaming’ – the world’s business, political, academic and other leaders, once again descended on the Davos Klosters resort in the Swiss Alps for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF). This year’s event was the 50th and took place from 21-24 January in the highly forti ed conference venue at the centre of Europe’s highest town.
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The Maltese aircraft register – Ten years ago the government of Malta relaunched its existing small scale aircraft register with the stated aim of seizing a “timely opportunity” afforded by substantial growth in aviation. At the start of 2020 it is clear that the Maltese register has enjoyed considerable success. In terms of airlines, a number of existing EU companies including Ryanair, Air Nostrum, Blue Panorama and Hi-Fly have established Maltese entities and have registered aircraft in Malta citing lower costs and potential tax savings..
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The Dubai Airshow at 30 – Celebrating its thirtieth birthday, this year’s Dubai Airshow – held from 17-21 November at the Aviation Exhibition Centre at Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) – hosted 1,288 exhibitors and 161 aircraft in the static. The inaugural edition in 1989 featured 200 exhibitors and 25 aircraft on display.
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NBAA-BACE 2019 – Driving change in a rapidly evolving industry – NBAA-BACE lived up to its billing as the world’s largest corporate aviation event when it returned to the Las Vegas Convention Centre and Henderson Executive Airport on 22 October with leading OEMs choosing the convention to launch new models and powerplant. Gulfstream Aerospace grabbed the headlines with the unveiling of its new agship G700, Bombardier brought a full-size mock-up of the latest Learjet – the 75 Liberty – and Rolls Royce took the wraps o its new Pearl 700 engine.
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Calls for action on illegal charter – The ongoing investigation into the crash in the English Channel that killed footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson in January this year has focused minds of industry lobby groups, owners and operators into the penalties and risks involved in illegal or ‘grey’ charters. The case for stronger deterrents, education and improved enforcement of regulations was made very strongly at the recent Air Charter Expo conference held at Biggin Hill Airport.
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LABACE 2019 – Brazilian market rising – This year’s Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE) – held in cramped conditions at São Paulo Congonhas airport from 13 to 15 August – sought to emphasise the residual strength of the Brazilian market and reasons for optimism as to its future.
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First half 2019 – mixed fortunes for manufacturers – The headline from Savannah is impressive. In the rst six months of 2019, Gulfstream Aerospace delivered 25% more bizjets than the year before – 50 units, up from 37 in H1 2018. Additionally, H1 revenues from the General Dynamics aerospace division – including both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation – increased by 17.3% to $4.332 billion, although earnings fell slightly by $73 million.
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Paris Air Show 2019: ‘petit à petit’ or ‘joie de vivre’? – The biennial Paris Air Show generated positive headlines although, perhaps predictably, it was dominated by the great rivalry between European manufacturer Airbus and the US plane maker Boeing – not least given the current grounding of Boeing’s 737 MAX family of aircraft.
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EBACE 2019 – promoting – ‘sustainability and innovation’ – Those seeking headlines from EBACE 2019 did not nd them in the OEM announcements of new models or signi cant upgrades to existing designs. To quote Alastair Whyte of Corporate Jet Investor: “The big news story of EBACE was that there were no big stories”.
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Gibraltar seeks to establish aircraft register – The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar last month issued an unanticipated request for expressions of interest “from individuals and organisations interested in developing and operating a Gibraltar Aircraft Register”.
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Corporate aircraft registers – the numbers game – The San Marino Aircraft Registry (SMAR) continues to grow and add aircraft at an ever-increasing rate. Strong customer service, e ective marketing, clear rules and regulations, acceptance of crew and technical standards and attractive costs are all factors fuelling this expansion.
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New models underpin 2018 aircraft deliveries – The bizjet delivery figures for 2018 point to just one overwhelming conclusion – it is new aircraft models that are keeping the figures in positive territory. The most delivered aircraft in 2018 was the Cirrus SF50 Vision – a total of 63 of the very light single were handed over to customers, closely followed by the Challenger 350 with 60 deliveries and the Citation Latitude with 57.
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WEF 2019 – government aircraft thin on the ground – The absence of so many heads of state due to domestic issues contributed to a marked reduction in government aircraft seen on the ground in Zurich for the annual general meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the gathering of top political, business and other leaders in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos.
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Shifting sands in the Middle East – MEBAA 2018 – Appearances can be deceptive. MEBAA 2018 – the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation show – opened in Dubai on 10 December at a time when the bizav market in the region could at best be described as ‘brittle’.
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Luxaviation pulls out of EBACE and calls for change – Luxaviation, one of Europe’s largest business aviation groups with a fleet of more than 250 aircraft under management, has stated publicly that it will not be exhibiting at next year’s EBACE – Europe’s largest corporate aviation event – which is to be held in Geneva in May 2019.
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NBAA-BACE 2018 – “inspiring dreams for the future” – The Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), held at the Orange County Convention Centre and Orlando Executive Airport from 16 – 18 October, demonstrated once again that it is the world’s largest event dedicated to corporate aviation – 25,000 visitors, over 1,000 exhibitors (of which over 100 were making their BACE debut) from some 90 countries and over 100 aircraft in the extensive static display.
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Vista Global set up to consolidate the bizav market – Having launched Vista Global in the Dubai International Financial Centre as an “investor vehicle” that will “spearhead the consolidation of the fragmented and expanding business aviation market”, VistaJet founder and chairman Thomas Flohr announced on 20 September that it was acquiring US-based charter firm XOJet for an undisclosed amount.
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The Latin American market on show – LABACE 2018 – There is a “wave of renewed interest in business aviation” in Latin America, according to one industry analyst. And LABACE, the Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition held at Congonhas, São Paulo, from 15 to 17 August, sought to ride that wave.
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Brexit – the UK to be a ‘third country’ member of EASA? – The UK government’s White Paper on the ‘Future Relationship between the UK and the EU’, published on 12 July, answered some important questions for commercial and corporate aviation but failed to satisfy others.
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Isle of Man conference dominated by Brexit – The uncertainty surrounding the post-‘Brexit’ aviation relationship between the UK and the EU continued to exercise minds at the 8th annual Isle of Man Aviation Conference, held within the spectacular Edwardian grandeur of the Royal Hall in the Villa Marina complex on the Douglas seafront on 13 June.
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EBACE 2018 – remembering Serge Dassault and looking forward – EBACE 2018 in Geneva was dedicated to the memory of Dassault Group chairman emeritus Serge Dassault, who died at the age of 93 on the eve of the show. Serge Dassault, who served as CEO from 1986 to 2000, was at the forefront of diversifying the led the family firm’s interests into civil aviation and the Falcon family of corporate jets owes much of its success to his vision.
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Asia on show – ABACE 2018 – “This year’s ABACE, held under bright, clear skies and in new facilities, reflected the enthusiasm, growth and potential for business aviation, not just in China, but across Asia and beyond,” said National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen. He was speaking at the end of this year’s Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE), which was held in Shanghai from 17 to 19 April.
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China slaps ‘trade war’ tari s on US aircraft – China announced, on 3 April, a 25% tari on imports of US manufactured aircraft with an empty laden weight of between 15,000 and 45,000kg. This will have a signi cant impact on commercial aircraft manufactured by Boeing – particularly some members of the 737 family, including the BBJ1. It will also include all current Gulfstream models with the exception of the G280.
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Dassault unveils new Falcon – French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has snatched positive headlines from what could have been a public relations disaster. Last December the company was forced to cancel development of the twin-jet Falcon 5X owing to the protracted and much-publicised problems with the Safran Silvercrest engines that had been lined up to power the new model. But on 28 February, Dassault’s chairman and CEO Eric Trappier unveiled a new long-range twin slated to make its rst ight in 2021 and then enter service in 2022.
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Bizjet traffic comes up Trumps for Davos – The 2018 annual general meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos was the first to be attended by a sitting President of the USA since Bill Clinton hit the slopes in 2000. The appearance of ‘anti-globalist’ Donald Trump was much more of a surprise – his former strategist Steve Bannon, after all, once used the phrase “the party of Davos” as a byword for his enemies.
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Dassault pulls plug on Falcon 5X in favour of new project – French manufacturer Dassault announced the cancellation of its ill-fated Falcon 5X ultra-wide business jet programme on 13 December. The move followed repeated delays in the development of the Silvercrest engine by its compatriot Safran. It will however be replaced by a new Falcon model, which will be powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW800.
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Garmin hits one million – Specialist avionics manufacturer Garmin has taken just 28 years to deliver one million certifi ed avionics products. The milestone delivery of a GTX 3000 DO-260B transponder enabling ADS-B Out transmissions took place at the end of November.
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NBAA-BACE 2017 – ‘A strong, meaningful show’ – This year’s ‘National Business Aviation Association – Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition‘ (NBAA-BACE) opened in Las Vegas just 10 days after a mass shooting in the city that left some 58 people dead. Not surprisingly, security was enhanced and the mood of the show on opening day was described as “sombre but resolute”.
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Business aviation keeps shareholders happy! – The use of business aviation is the sign of a well-managed enterprise among America’s most highly valued and well-respected companies, according to a report called “Business Aviation and Top Performing Companies, 2017” published by NEXA Advisors. The study examined the financial performance of the S&P 500 between 2012 and 2017, and found that, over that period, S&P 500 companies utilising business aviation to support their missions outperformed those not using business aviation, as demonstrated by a number of key metrics, including drivers of shareholder value.
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Green shoots for Latin America? – LABACE 2017 – This year’s LABACE – the 14th Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition – could have been a gloomy affair. After all Brazil, the continent’s largest market for corporate aircraft, has continued to suffer from a contracting economy in the decade since the global financial crisis. This has been exacerbated by political instability and the currency that remains weak amid continuing uncertainty.
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Manufacturers – how were the rst six months for you? – The delivery gures from major aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the first six months of this year reflect continued ‘sluggishness’ in the marketplace. There are some encouraging signs but there are also some notable and significant falls. Only two of the five main manufacturers reported an increase in deliveries and these were very small.
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Isle of Man Aviation Conference flies at full capacity – The 7th Annual Isle of Man Aviation Conference, held on 22 June at the Villa Marina complex in Douglas and supported by Isle of Man Aircraft Registry, attracted 153 delegates from 13 deferent countries, representing 89 deferent companies.
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EBACE 2017 – “full of energy and excitement for the future” – This year’s EBACE (European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition) demonstrated an optimism that the industry is turning a corner in Europe – manufacturers debuted new aircraft models at a full-capacity static display, attendance appeared on the upswing, and the exhibit fl oor exceeded expectations.
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“Truly an Asian exhibition” – ABACE 2017 – The sixth annual Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE 2017), which was held from 11 – 13 April at Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport.
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China liberalisation and ABACE – The attention of the corporate aircraft market shifts to Shanghai and the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) just as the efforts by the Chinese authorities to accelerate the development of the general aviation industry are hotting up with a raft of new announcements.
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Flexjet launches UK fleet – Flexjet, the rapidly expanding US-based fractional specialist, unveiled the first aircraft in its new UK operation – the first of three Nextant 400XTi – on 1 March at Farnborough airport. Flexjet UK anticipates offering a fleet of up to 10 aircraft by the end of its first year of operation.
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Cessna Citation production shift – Textron Aviation attracted both positive and negative headlines with the release of its full 2016 results. The Wichita-based manufacturer of the Cessna Citation family delivered 178 corporate jets last year, an increase of 12 over 2015. But while 42 of these were for the latest mid-size Citation Latitudes, delivery of other models slumped.
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Merger creates largest US management & charter operation – 2017 took o with the announcement that aircraft charter specialist Gama Aviation and aviation services provider BBA Aviation, both UK listed fi rms, are to merge their US aircraft management and charter businesses to create the largest aircraft management business in the US.
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Middle East market in the spotlight – MEBAA 2016 – It has long been accepted that the corporate jet market in the Middle East relies on large cabin aircraft, so it was no surprise that each of the major manufacturers brought their latest o erings to Dubai for the biennial Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) show and heavily promoted those designs that are slated to receive certi cation before the next event in 2018.
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NBAA 2016 – vitality, activism, enthusiasm, innovation – The NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) returned to Orlando for the rst three days of November. Held at the Orange County Convention Centre and at Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), the show is simply the biggest event of its kind in the world.
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Iranian business aviation in the post-sanctions era – “The future of business aviation in Iran: dawn of a new era” was one of the panel discussions at the Iranian Aviation Forum held in London on 12 – 13 September, which addressed the challenges, risks and opportunities for the Iranian civil aviation industry in the post-sanctions era.
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LABACE 2016 battles heavy weather in Brazil – The 13th LABACE, the annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition opened at São Paulo Congonhas Airport just nine days after the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. While the Olympics provided some memorable moments (not least for the record-breaking Team GB), the Games also re ected the wider problems facing the host nation.
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Economic impact of business aviation in Europe – Business aviation is “a prime enabler for regional economic development” says an in uential report commissioned by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). The report claims that the average time saved using a corporate aviation ight is 127 minutes over a commercial service.
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Brexit and business aviation – The EU Single Aviation Market is the world’s largest and most successful example of regional market integration and liberalisation in air transport. So a look around the departure lounge of the Isle of Man’s Ronaldsway airport on the morning of 24 June revealed a host of shocked faces as the result of the UK’s referendum on membership of the European Union unfolded.
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ABACE 2016 – Excitement, enthusiasm & enduring value – EBACE (European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition) returned to the Palexpo site adjacent to Geneva’s airport from 24 to 26 May at a time when the continent’s corporate aviation sector is once again grappling with both economic and political turbulence.
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ABACE 2016 – a vehicle for regional industry growth – Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport hosted the 11th Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) from 12 to 14 April.
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Guernsey register enabled for commercial ops – The Channel Islands Aircraft Registry branded as “2-REG” is now permitted to issue air operator certificates (AOCs) allowing commercial operations by Guernsey-registered aircraft.
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The new EASA European regulations, which come into force on 25 August this year, will have a huge impact on the corporate aviation market. The Part-NCC (Non-Commercial Complex) rule will place obligations on all non-commercial operators of “complex motor-powered” aircraft – fixed wing aircraft with an MTOW in excess of 5,700kg or rotorcraft weighing above 3,175kg.
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Every year we report on the large numbers of corporate and government aircraft bringing attendees to the annual general meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in the Swiss resort of Davos-Klosters. This year’s event was held from 20-23 January and, in addition to our usual coverage, we will also be looking to assess the wider impact of the increase of tra c on Europe’s business aviation market.
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Guernsey’s parliament unanimously approved, on 17 December 2015, a proposal to permit the Channel Islands Aircraft Register (2-REG) to issue Air Operator Certificates (AOCs), The move, which will enable Guernsey registered aircraft to operate commercially, will differentiate Guernsey from competitor registries such as the Isle of Man and Jersey, which cover only aircraft operated for private or corporate use.
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The National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) Convention & Exhibition was the strongest edition of the annual show since the economic downturn. This year’s event, which returned to Las Vegas from 17-19 November, attracted some 1,100 exhibitors.
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The Jersey Aircraft Registry (JAR) commenced operations on 5 November. The rst aircraft, a Cessna Citation 525C CJ4, was due to be added a few days later using the new registration pre x as ZJ THC. The new register is aimed at owners of corporate aircraft that will be operated in a private capacity – use for “hire and reward” is not permitted.
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Corporate jet nancier Global Jet Capital (GJC) announced, on 5 October, that it had agreed to purchase GE Corporate Aircraft Finance’s portfolio in the Americas. The deal, which took most industry observers by surprise, represents around $2.5 billion of net assets. It is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
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LABACE remains robust despite turbulence – This year’s Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE), held from 11-13 August at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport, mirrored the fortunes of the Brazilian economy.
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Problems continue to stalk Bombardier – Bad news keeps coming this year for Bombardier. During the Q1 investor conference call in May, the Canadian manufacturer announced a slowdown in production of the Global 5000 and 6000 due to weaker demand for the aircraft. In particular it cited falls in sales in Russia, Latin America and China.
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“Finance, Tax, Regulation, Registration” was the tag line for this year’s Isle of Man aviation conference, which took place on 25 June in the striking setting of the ballroom of the Villa Marina complex on the seafront in Douglas, the island’s capital. Organised by ICM Aviation and supported by the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry (IOMAR), the event, now in its fth year, attracted more than 150 delegates from all over Britain, Europe and further afield.
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The European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) celebrated its 15th birthday this year at the Palexpo Centre in Geneva. The event has grown considerably since the rst show in 2001, which attracted 3,600 people, nearly 200 exhibitors and about 30 aircraft on static display. This year’s event boasted 13,200 visitors, nearly 500 exhibitors and a static display of 58 aircraft.
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This year’s Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE), held in Shanghai from 14/16 April, was the largest ever with 183 exhibitors (40% from the Asia Paci¬c region) and 8,000 attendees. Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO summed up ABACE 2015 by saying that it: “once again put China at centre stage of the Asian and global business aviation community … it is clear that a high-water mark has been reached, not only for ABACE, but for business aviation in China and across Asia.”
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The HA-420 HondaJet made its world debut nearly ten years ago at EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh in July 2005.
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Bombardier announced a major new financing plan and shake-up in its executive ranks after posting a $1.2 billion loss for the full year 2014.
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Every year the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), held in the Swiss resort of Davos-Klosters at the end of January, promises to attract increased numbers of corporate aircraft ying in connection with the event.
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“UK-based business aviation service provider Hangar 8 has merged with UK rival Gama Aviation in a reverse takeover. The newly formed combined operation, which will be called Gama Aviation PLC, will be one of the top five operators in the world with a market capitalisation of £120 million. The deal was announced in early December during MEBA in Dubai.”
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“The new exhibition centre at Al Maktoum International Airport in Jebel
Ali, 37 kilometres south west of Dubai, played host for the first time to the biennial Middle East Business Aviation exhibition (MEBA) from 8-10 December.”
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“The opening of the National Business Aircraft Association’s (NBAA) annual meeting and convention was, once again, preceded by a major manufacturer announcement……”
Airborne October 2014
“San Marino, the world’s oldest and smallest republic located near Rimini on Italy’s Adriatic coast, is hosting an International Business Aviation Symposium……”
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“With the opening of LABACE 2014 in São Paulo, analysts turned their attention to the challenges facing the Brazilian corporate aircraft market……”
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“Historic roll-out for Pilatus’s new PC-24 Swiss manufacturer Pilatus marked its own 75th birthday and the25th anniversary of the launch of its best-selling PC-12 turboprop by rolling out on 1 August…..”
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“The imposing ballroom of the Villa Marina centre on the seafront in Douglas played host to the fourth annual Isle of Man Aviation Conference on 19 June. Organised by ICM Aviation in conjunction with the island’s aircraft registry…..”
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“Manufacturers often use corporate aircraft trade shows as a platform to launch new designs, open order books or announce major upgrades to existing programmes….”
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“The Jersey government announced at the beginning of May that the “bundle” of enabling legislation for the proposed new Jersey Aircraft Register had been lodged with the States Assembly….”
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“Hartley Elder, the Isle of Man’s current Director of Civil Aviation, is to retire on 1 May 2014. While a replacement is sought, the Manx government has announced….”
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“The Registry of Aruba announced major changes to the legislation governing aircraft registration in Aruba at the recent International Corporate Jet & Helicopter Finance conference in London….”
