JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
EBACE 2003, to be held at Geneva's Palexpo exhibition centre on 7-9 May, promises to be upbeat in the face of economic woes
Despite the combined effect of the Iraq war and a global economic slump, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is confident that its annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) will result in more deals being concluded than ever.
Fernand François, the EBAA's chief executive, says the fear of terrorism has conversely led to an increase in interest in private aircraft, while the economic downturn is merely a minor storm that businesses can weather. Over-regulation is a more serious threat to the growth of the association's 160 members, he says.
The association expects to welcome around 6,000 attendees at this year's show, to be held at Switzerland's Geneva Palexpo exhibition centre on 7-9 May. This is an increase on last year's figure of 5,000 and François expects the other key indicators to remain in line with this growth.
Exhibitors registered at the end of April stood at 230, compared with 211 at the same period last year, while Geneva airport is, so far, set to display around 33 static aircraft from 14 companies compared with 36 at EBACE 2002 from 18 companies.
François insists that the quality of attendees will be higher than in previous years. The size of the stands, has grown, for example, from 541 standard 9m2 (27ft2) booth units to 660 this year. This rise of over 12% in floorspace to a total of almost 6,000m2 is largely the result of the major players in the industry booking larger stands, a sign that the show has grown in stature, says François.
The static display line-up reinforces that view, with Airbus and Boeing bringing their airliner-class business jets, and several other key manufacturers, including Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault Falcon, Embraer, Gulfstream and Raytheon also planning large static displays, with new large and super mid-sized models likely to dominate. The show's other main attractions, personal jets such as the Cessna Mustang, will be inside the exhibition centre.
If safety fears and the war in Iraq have changed the show's nature, François says, it is that it has been "Europeanised", with several US companies downgrading American contingents and replacing them with European executives, boosting the local flavour of the show.
Key to recovery
The overriding message this year is "waiting for the recovery, working for the recovery", says François, and the association sees shaping regulation as key to this recovery when it comes.
François looks upon the European Commission as potentially obstructive. "For the time being, the EC wants big aircraft in the skies with lots of people, because it's easier to manage the airspace that way. The EC is pursuing a policy of active discrimination against users of small aircraft, which could threaten our industry," he says.
The EBAA is actively lobbying against changes in the en route navigation charge formula from passenger-based to weight-based fees, for example.
This is one of three major topics to be discussed by industry panels during the show: EC security measures and their effects on airport operators and users; airborne separation; and the implications for business jet operators of European regulatory harmonisation with US FAR Part 91 subpart K.
Source: Flight International
