GENEVA—National business aviation associations in Austria, France, Ireland and the UK are expressing support to show organizers about EBACE’s new format and are expecting it to create more and better networking opportunities.
The shared view suggests at least one aspect of the transitional, more modest format is gathering success. The U.S. NBAA and its European counterpart, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), used to co-organize EBACE. After the 2024 edition, the two associations parted ways and EBAA is now the sole organizer. The EBACE conference and exhibition is now seeing competition emerging in Germany, as the Aero Friedrichshafen general aviation show has been growing its business aviation exhibition.
No business jet or turboprop manufacturer wanted to participate in this edition of EBACE. The resulting absence of a static display is generating mixed feelings. “It was useful, acting as a magnet,” Joe Buckley, founding executive director of the Irish Business and General Aviation Association (IBGAA), says. However, Antonia Gilbert, president of the Austrian Business Aviation Association, says the organizers and a number of participants took time to realize EBACE is a business-to-business event, as opposed to a place where the end customer comes to buy a new aircraft.
“OEMs want fewer shows, they do their own private events and markets are thriving in other parts of the world,” Charles Aguettant, chairman of the French chapter of the EBAA, says. He is pushing for a biennial format, where the static display would be organized every other year. The location of the show could alternate between two cities in Europe, he adds.
So far, merging EBACE with Air Ops, another EBAA event focused on aircraft operators’ suppliers, may have contributed to quality.
Meanwhile, national associations are unanimously impressed with the association village, where they have their booths. It is the right place to meet members, Lindsey Oliver, managing director of the British Business and General Aviation Association, says, while Buckley is promoting a conference IBGAA is organizing. Some industry players do not know precisely what their national association is doing for them and they are learning about it at EBACE, Gilbert adds.
All agree on the main challenges for business aviation in Europe—regulations and taxes that threaten business models. In Italy, a so-called luxury tax levied since 2011 has had measurable effects, reducing traffic and the number of owners. “I see a lack of understanding of the value business aviation is bringing to a country, such as flying an investor,” Buckley says. In the UK, Oliver has seen the number of aircraft registrations falling and, working with the civil aviation authority, found the time-consuming registration process is the main reason. The two organizations are looking for ways to streamline and shorten procedures.
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