Business Aviation Meets at EBACE.

Business Aviation Meets at EBACE 

There was a real buzz in the exhibition halls and in the static park at the sixth annual European Business Aviation Convention in Geneva last week. It actually started at the baggage carousels and arrival hall, where Dubai-based flight support company JETEX had mounted a large promotional effort, inviting EBACE visitors to its stand.

EBACE has always been a good show for networking, but the record number of exhibitors and visitors attending this year commented that deals were actually being struck here. Geneva Airport's FBO PrivatPort said it was handling 35 private jet movements daily during the three-day show, with visitors flying in from all over Europe, the Middle East, the US and Canada to meet vendors and see the 50-strong shiny new aircraft on display.

EBACE also drew a sizable international media presence, including the BBC's popular travel show, FastTrack, which is running an EBACE report throughout this week on BBC World. By Friday noon, EBACE organizers had welcomed some 9,500 visitors. Some 7,667 attended in 2005.

This buoyant growth and interest in executive jet travel comes as more and more scheduled airlines in Europe lower their fares and cut their service levels. And with more people flying as a result of cheap fares, the terminals of Europe's hub airports are getting congested; the time it takes to check in and get processed through security gets ever longer. No wonder then that net worth individuals and savvy business executives are increasingly turning to private charter - where they determine the schedules, the airports they fly from and be guaranteed a stress-free experience.

There is also fresh blood coming into the industry in the shape of the VLJs (Very Light Jets) - the new air taxis of the skies, now a near term reality. "It is rather like the car manufacturers building a model for 18 year olds - in order that they can widen their marketplace," says Aviation International News Editor Charles Alcock.

To date, the pioneer of the VLJ, Eclipse Aviation, has sold 2,500 Eclipse 500s, which carry a price tag of just over $1m - 140 of them to European customers. Other new VLJ models preparing for take off include Cessna's Mustang; Adam Aircraft's A700, both due to be certificated by year end, and Embraer's new Phenom 100 and 300, for 2008 market entry. They have been dubbed VLJs because they weigh less than 10,000lbs.

One 'new generation' player is UK-based JetSet Air. It plans to introduce 50 Eclipse 500 VLJs and announced here that Cirrus Aviation of Germany will be its AOC holder. Managing Director David Bond is promising low cost, private jet services and his goal is to be the easyJet of the business aviation market. http://www.jetsetfly.com

During EBACE, another new start up, Geneva-based JetBird announced an order for 50 Phenom 100 aircraft from Embraer, plus 50 options (which could be for the 100 or larger Phenom 300). JetBird's deliveries will commence from April 2009. JetBird will initially base the aircraft in Zurich, where it plans to offer low-cost, on-demand jet services, thereafter expanding to other cities in Europe. JetBird Chairman is Domhnal Slattery, former MD of the Royal Bank of Scotland's structured asset finance business. http://www.flyjetbird.com

Showing off the full-scale cabin mockups of the six to nine-seat Phenom family in Geneva, Embraer CEO Mauricio Botelho had another surprise for EBACE attendees.

Looking to mirror its success in the regional airline market, Embraer announced a long range VIP version of the Embraer 190, dubbed the Lineage 1000. Its target market for this $40 million-plus 4,000 plus nm range jet, which will uniquely have 5.5 degree capability for runway restricted airports, will be customers who may be shopping for the Airbus A318 Elite or the Boeing Business Jet.

Embraer has already evolved its 50-seat Embraer 145 regional jet into the Legacy business jet - so with its new strategy it is following its arch rival Bombardier, already one of the top three business jet players. Bombardier is promoting its new Challenger 800 series as corporate shuttles (the 870 and 890 are based on its CRJ700 and CRJ900 regional airliners, which compete for the same market as the Embraer 170 and 190.) Embraer does not yet have a launch customer for the Lineage 1000, but identifies target markets as Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Piaggio Aero, which brought its distinctive looking and avionics-enhanced Avanti II to EBACE, confirmed it was looking to develop a brand new business jet, with an announcement probably by the autumn. The company is evaluating two designs - one, "which makes a lot of sense," the other, "the beautiful one, giving you a big emotion," acknowledged board director Alberto Galassi. The new aircraft will not be the same size as the Avanti, it will "definitely be a jet," have an attractive, roomy cabin, as this is important and, like the Avanti, will attract a niche market with Ferrari-inspired style, Piaggio says. Piaggio chairman Piero Ferrari, introduced the company's new 35% shareholder, Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development, represented at EBACE by new board member Waleed Ahmed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi. He acknowledged the company's commitment to Piaggio, potential industrial collaboration and the growing importance of the Middle East market.

Deals announced at the show included a Challenger 605 order from Comlux Aviation of Zurich. The company will also acquire two larger Challenger 850 executive shuttles for delivery late this year, early 2007. Bombardier also announced that Global Wings of Osaka (Japan) will be its Asian launch customer for the 605, taking an aircraft in the second quarter of 2007. UK executive jet operator Club328 said it will acquire four more Premier 1As from Raytheon Beechcraft, taking its fleet to six by the end of this year. The Southampton-based company was also finalizing the addition of a third Dornier 328 at EBACE with MIKADO Capital, which has just purchased four secondhand 328 Jets. Work is ongoing on the first two at 328 Support Services' Oberpfaffenhofen facility. Meanwhile, charter operator of Italy, Eurofly, confirmed the launch of Airbus A319LR all-business flights between Milan Malpensa and New York, effective 8 May, in collaboration with Club MilanoManhattan. The aircraft, featuring a luxurious interior with 48 seats, was in the static park.

EBACE debutantes included the Gulfstream G150 and Raytheon 850XP; the Global Express XLS, featuring a luxurious cabin designed by Lufthansa Technik; the Grob SPn utility jet (above), which first made is surprise appearance at the Paris Show last year; Cessna's newest CJ and CJ2 jets and the Sino Swearingen SJ30 long range business jet (left). The SJ30 is designer Ed Swearingen's 30th aircraft design.

As business aviation continues to grow with some 2,200 private jets based in Europe, Farnborough International organizers say its business aircraft park will be the largest ever this year. It has relocated the site to a more central apron position which will feature at least 24 aircraft parked close to the manufacturers' hospitality chalets.

An ever bigger EBACE will return to Geneva during 22-24 May 2007. http://www.ebace.aero

Alison Chambers of Emerald Media reports from EBACE, the industry's fast growing business aviation show. http://www.emeraldmedia.co.uk