EBACE is jointly hosted each year by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) - the leading association for business aviation in Europe - and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) - the leading voice for the business aviation industry in the United States. Although EBACE is the only major European event focused solely on business aviation, attendees come from as far as Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
The 2010 event arrived on the back of the global recession, but, despite that, there still seems to be optimism in the business aviation world with the aircraft static park oversubscribed with a total of 65 aircraft on display and more aircraft available for private viewing, should you have been one of the lucky ones looking to buy. Additionally the two display halls used at Palexpo were both sold out with 436 exhibitors showing off their wares.
The static display ranged in aircraft size from the Cirrus SR22 through to the 'Head of State' configured uber-luxury Boeing BBJ and Airbus ACJ.
New aircraft offerings were thin on the ground, with only the Cessna Citation CJ4 and Hawker Beechcraft 350I making their show and, in the case of the CJ4, European debuts. Gulfstream's busy flight test programme kept their new G250 and G650 at home, and these may well be the stars of the 2011 show.
Hawker Beechcraft dominated the static display, presenting for the first time anywhere their entire civilian line up from Baron through to Hawker 4000 - all presented in stunning matching corporate livery - with show debuts for the King Air 350I and King Air C90GTX. Interesting rumours emanating from Hawker Beechcraft are that they are in advanced planning stages of entering the utility aircraft market to take on the likes of the Pilatus PC-12 and TBM850.
Matching Hawker Beechcraft in terms of aircraft numbers were Cessna with their range represented from T206 through to Citation X, the latter with newly certified winglets. The winglets make the jet look even better if that was possible. The new $9 million Citation CJ4 slots in at the top of the smaller cabin Citation range and has a healthy order book, with European deliveries starting this year.
Embraer presented their Phenom 100 and 300 Very Light Jets (VLJ) - the 300 receiving European certification at the show - through to mid size Legacy and EMB190 airliner based Lineage 1000. The Lineage on display will be bound for a UK operator; the first to be registered in the UK.
Gulfstream were represented with their current model range from G150 through to the G550, although it was the new G650 which was too busy in its test flying programme to attend that was making the news. Gulfstream confirmed that the aircraft had achieved a speed of mach .925 which when certified will make the G650 the world's fastest civilian jet.
Boeing had a single BBJ on display and this aircraft was available for sale through CIT Aerospace. Those of you used to flying regular Boeing 737s may find the thought of a state room, double bedroom and full size shower room something of a surprise. But if you spend the rumoured $38 million on the interior you can have pretty much what you want. This particular aircraft is certified for a maximum of 14 passengers. For my own personal taste I found the interior a little over the top; just imagine flying in an 18th century stately home!
Airbus was represented with two ACJs and I took the opportunity for a guided tour of the brand new Farnborough-based Acropolis Aviation aircraft. This aircraft had been delivered a few weeks prior to the show and the smell of leather oozed through the luxurious cabin. Compared to the BBJ this aircraft had a much more contemporary interior; fresher and much brighter. The cabin is divided in to three sections with a bedroom and bathroom at the rear. The interior is of French design and the aircraft was completed at Airbus' own completion centre at Toulouse, and Acropolis will use the aircraft on long-range executive charters.
Two other airliner conversions were on show, both putting new lives in to previously airline operated airframes. BAE Systems displayed the Avro ABJ, based on the 146/Avro RJ aircrafts. The example on display is the first for UK operator Cello Aviation who will be based at Birmingham. This ABJ was originally in service as an airliner but now has had a complete refurbishment and is configured with 46 luxury leather seats with Cello aiming the aircraft for executive charter. BAE Systems also unveiled a design study for the ABJ which made use of the large rear freight door to provide an outside decking area which resembled a terrace balcony, obviously for use on the ground only!
Flying Colours displayed their VIP conversion of a Bombardier CRJ regional jet, the CRJ Execliner in a 14-seat executive specification. Like the Avro ABJ this aircraft was originally operated as an airliner. The major benefit to potential purchasers is that including the VIP conversion, the aircraft is close to half the price of a new Bombardier CL850 equivalent. The aircraft on display was the seventh off the production line, completed a week before the show and was even sold the day before the aircraft flew from Canada to Geneva. There certainly seems to be a boom in using retired airliners for VIP conversions and, looking at the two examples on display, you would never guess the age of the airframe; both looked factory fresh.
Jet Ready a Spanish charter operator displayed their first of 23 Eclipse 500 VLJ (Very Light Jet). They plan to use the Eclipse in an air-taxi service and are the first in Europe to operate the type. Eclipse Aviation spent over $1 billion in development and production of 260 EA500s but ceased production and operations in February 2009. The assets of the company were purchased by two EA500 owners and the company as Eclipse Aviation restarted operations in September 2009 to support and remarket the aircraft already produced.
Dassault displayed three members of the Falcon family; the 2000LX, 900EX and 7X - the latter being the 75th Falcon 7X to be delivered. Bombardier was represented by six aircraft covering examples of Learjet - including a cabin mock up of the under development Learjet 85 - Challenger and Global Express.
Two new helicopter developments were also unveiled at EBACE. AgustaWestland debuted the AW109 Grand New with a mock up displayed on their stand. This is the latest generation of the Grand helicopter with new avionics and a new interior, along with a host of other improvements, and deliveries will begin later this summer. Eurocopter announced that they had teamed up with Mercedes-Benz to create a special edition of the EC145 named the EC145 Mercedes-Benz Style. The cabin has been designed by Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studio in Italy and is said to take styling clues from the Mercedes R-Class road car range. Deliveries will start in the fourth quarter of 2011; expect to add much more than the cost of a road going R-Class to the price of an EC145 if you are thinking of buying one!
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