The static display at Aero Friedrichshafen was anchored for a second consecutive year by a business aviation dome.
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany—Aero Friedrichshafen 2026 set records as it encompassed all things business and general aviation, from ultralights and gyrocopters, electric and hybrid-electric aircraft to large and ultra-long-range business jets, such as the Citation Longitude, Global 6500 and Falcon 6X.
At the same time, technology, innovation and sustainability were front and center throughout the show, held April 22-25 here in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
The 2026 event, the largest of its kind in Europe, drew a record 860 exhibitors and about 37,000 visitors from 88 countries in more than 1 million ft.2 of space, spurred by growth in the business aviation segment.
The future of aviation is taking shape today, show organizers say, one that “will be quiet, feature low-emissions and will be affordable.”
The fact that business aviation is a relatively small part of the broader aviation industry is a big advantage when it comes to innovation. Being smaller allows the industry to test new innovations quickly and with flexibility, Svenja Wortmann, managing director of DC Aviation, said on a panel discussion during the show.
That is an advantage as business aviation has a highly demanding client base who want sustainability solutions, Wortmann said.
On the exhibit floor, reemerging in public a year after it was acquired by Diamond Aircraft, urban air mobility pioneer Volocopter unveiled a new fully electric, ultralight multicopter as a follow-on development to its VoloCity air taxi.
Targeted for flight schools, flying clubs and sightseeing flight operators in Europe, the VoloXPro will be certified in Germany first as a light sport aircraft by the end of 2026, Diamond and Volocopter executives said. The company is also pursuing approvals in other European countries.
Both the VoloXPro and the Volocity are two-seat electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) vehicles that share multiple components, including identical flight-control computers and similar lithium-ion battery technology and avionics. At 600 kg. (1,323 lb.) max takeoff weight, the VoloXPro is lighter than the VoloCity at 1,000 kg., with a max range of 40 km (25 mi.).
Diamond Aircraft acquired Bruchsal, Germany-based Volocopter in March 2025, rescuing the eVTOL developer from insolvency. Diamond is owned by Chinese automotive supplier Wanfeng, which builds Diamond models in China.
“What happened a year ago is that Volocopter was acquired by Diamond, and this has caused a lot of changes for the better in the sense that we’ve taken a lot of Diamond’s DNA together with Volocopter’s DNA,” said Marie Masson, Volocopter senior business development manager.
The German company also provided an update on the status of its legacy VoloCity air taxi, which has been in development since 2011. Volocopter is certifying the VoloCity to demanding EASA Special Condition for VTOL aircraft (SC-VTOL) requirements and expects to begin deliveries to its first customer—German air rescue organization ADAC Luftrettung—in the next 12-18 months, Masson said.
Diamond officials said they had a record show for contracts signed during the four-day event, where it made the public debut of three new demonstrator aircraft, the DA42-VI, DA50 RG and DA62 with new product features and upgrades.
Italian manufacturer Tecnam rolled out the P2012 VIP version of its six-seat aircraft during the show, calling it the “ultimate executive sanctuary,” with hand-stitched leather seats, more legroom, electronic dimmable windows, adjustable lighting and other features. Tecnam also launched the P2010 Mk. III upgrade to its four-seat aircraft with a Garmin Bundle Package and updated Flight Management System (FMS). It also announced a major fleet order for its P-Mentor training aircraft.
“We wanted to create an aircraft where the journey is just as magnificent as the destination,” Tecnam CEO Paolo Pascale Langer said.
Appearing under new ownership was Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace. Turkish aerospace and defense company Baykar completed its acquisition of the struggling manufacturer—then controlled by the Italian government—in June 2025. Earlier this year, Baykar announced plans to ramp up production of Piaggio’s signature P.180 twin-pusherprop business aircraft.
During the sprawling trade fair, Piaggio announced that an undisclosed European operator has placed a launch order for two P.180 Avanti NX turboprops, the latest evolution of its Avanti series. The manufacturer expects to introduce the new model with upgraded avionics, an improved cabin interior and other enhancements in the next three to four years. “Piaggio is back,” CEO Giovanni Tomassini told reporters.
Elixir Aircraft, based in La Rochelle, France, unveiled its next generation of aircraft with the Elixir+ two-seat trainer with a redesigned pump system to simplify maintenance and spare parts sourcing, new winglets, vortex generators and redesigned leading edges. Elixir reports it has more than 55 Elixir aircraft in operation with more than 300 on order, including firm orders, pre-orders and letters of intent. The company is planning to open a new facility in La Rochelle and a second in Sarasota, Florida.
For its part, French startup manufacturer Aura Aero unveiled cabin layouts of the ERA hybrid-electric regional aircraft it is developing for a planned entry-into-service date in 2030. Backed by venture capital, private equity and strategic investors, the eight-year-old company has ambitious plans to produce multiple different aircraft and is building new manufacturing facilities at Toulouse-Francazal Airport and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Research Park in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Executives said Aura Aero has logged three deliveries of its Integral R, a side-by-side two-seat trainer powered by a 210-hp Lycoming piston engine. It expects to deliver 12 more this year. The company anticipates that its Integral S trainer, powered by a 180-hp Lycoming engine, will be certified this summer. The Integral E, a fully electric training aircraft developed to EASA CS-23 Amendment 5 requirements, will follow in 2027.
Kaelin Aerospace Technologies unveiled the B-100C, a single-engine, tandem-seat training aircraft, while Italy’s Promecc Aerospace showcased its high-speed ultralight, the Terrone, for the first time.
Textron Aviation displayed its Citation Ascend midsize jet for the first time outside the U.S., while the Cessna SkyCourier also was exhibited at an airshow for the first time in Europe. Daher’s TBM 980 and the Kodiak 900 turboprops were also displayed at a trade show outside the U.S. for the first time.
The last two days of the show brought together young people interested in a career in aviation with potential employers. Solving workforce challenges are a focus. Wortmann with DC Aviation, for example, was not attracted to the aviation industry until she saw a Gulfstream jet. “I was just immediately affected,” she said. “The spark is within every one of us who are working for the industry. Our task and goal is to transport to reach the young generation.”
See aircraft debuts from Aero Friedrichshafen https://aviationweek.com/business-aviation/gallery-aircraft-debuts-aero…
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