This year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE 2015) will celebrate its 15th year as the leading European business aviation trade show, education and networking event getting underway in Geneva from May 19 to 21, with several special new features to help mark this milestone. The opening session will highlight the show’s history, including a look at original exhibitors and events. Four individuals who were instrumental in the show’s initial success will be honoured and they are: Kathleen Blouin, NBAA’s former Senior Vice President of Conventions and Forums; Brian Humphries, President of show co-host European Business Aviation Association (EBAA); Jack Olcott, former NBAA President and Fernand Francois, former EBAA CEO.

Sponsored by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the event is featuring over 450 exhibitors on a show floor covering three halls of the Geneva Palexpo conference centre. The exhibitors include aircraft manufacturers, fractional ownership operators, aircraft management and air charter companies; repair stations and maintenance facilities; flight planning services; aviation training providers; aircraft components and parts designers and more.

EBACE exhibitors have represented more than 60 countries in recent years, with the highest percentage of exhibiting companies from Europe and beyond increasing. “We are honoured to host exhibiting companies from around the globe at EBACE 2015,” said Chris Strong, NBAA’s Senior Vice President of conventions and membership. “Typically, European companies represent just over half of all exhibiting companies, but we also see exhibitors from China, India and other regions,” he added. This year’s static display at Geneva international Airport will feature more than 60 aircraft, including a new-model introduction and a first-time European appearance for another aircraft model. It also includes dozens of previously owned aircraft. EBACE also promises to build on the success of previous years’ shows with an expected sold-out static display area, a wide range of mock-ups and a new exhibits area for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

Airbus Corporate Jets highlights larger cabins

Airbus is exhibiting an ACJ319, operated by Comlux on VVIP charters, highlighting the trend towards larger cabins in the business jet market. The ACJ319 on display features conference, dining and lounge areas at the front, plus two separate rooms at the rear. It is certificated to transport 19 passengers – more than traditional business jets – allowing it to serve a wider range of business needs.

“The industry trend is towards larger cabins at the top-end of the business jet market, something on which we are well placed to capitalise, because we have the widest and tallest cabins of any business jet,” explains Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers, John Leahy. “So whether a company wants to bring in customers for a special event, to shuttle employees among sites, or to transport a multidisciplinary team, Airbus corporate jets are a practical solution,” he adds. Airbus began worldwide deliveries of ACJ320 Family corporate jets just over 15 years ago, and won its first sales of them in China 10 years ago, in 2005. Today, around 20 Airbus corporate jets are flying in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, giving them the strongest presence in the country of any aircraft at the top-end of the market. Airbus offers the most modern and comprehensive corporate jet family in the world, giving customers the greatest choice of the widest and most spacious cabins. The company’s corporate jets is from the Airbus ACJ318 all the way to the double- deck ACJ380, allowing customers to select the comfort they want in the size that they need. The family begins with the Airbus ACJ318, ACJ319, ACJ320 and ACJ321.

Boeing Business Jets playing on Combi

At the recently concluded Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) in Shanghai, Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) said it is studying viability of a BBJ Combi, allowing customers to have a split configuration of both passengers and cargo at the same time. There is much expectation at EBACE from BBJ. The BBJ Combi would be a modified version of the current BBJ Convertible, a product based on the 737-700C that also features a large cargo door on the left-hand side of the forward fuselage, enabling the loading of cargo onto the aircraft’s main deck.

“We are very excited about the possibility of a BBJ Combi,” said David Longridge, President of Boeing Business Jets. “We currently offer a product that can be configured for all passengers or cargo and we think that the BBJ Combi could be the next step and a great addition to the BBJ family. It would offer our customers increased flexibility for cargo capability while still being able to accommodate passengers. We think it would be a natural fit for the Chinese market.” Boeing Business Jets offers a wide variety of ultra-large cabin, long range airplanes perfectly suited for the private jet market. The product line includes the BBJ and BBJ MAX family as well as Boeing wide-body airplanes including the BBJ 787, 777 and 747.

Bombardier riding on Global 5000 success

Bombardier, the world’s leading business aircraft manufacturer, which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the entry-intoservice of the Global 5000 business jet is looking forward to EBACE where it intends to make a strong statement. The first Global 5000 jet was delivered on April 18, 2005. “At its launch, the Global 5000 business jet was the world’s fastest entry long range private jet,” said Éric Martel, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Not only does this statement still hold true today, but the proven Global 5000 aircraft has since been thoroughly recognised in the industry for its superior performance, shortrunway takeoffs, best-in-class avionics, widest cabin and greatest comfort.” As of February 2015, the Global worldwide fleet of more than 600 aircraft accumulated over 1.5 million flight hours and 5,70,000 cycles.

Dassault to update on Falcon 8X

Dassault Aviation which unveiled the Falcon 8X at last year’s show is all gung-ho about the event as it continues to announce that its new flagship, the ultra-long range Falcon 8X, successfully completed its first flight a little more than one month after rollout. With test pilots Eric Gérard and Hervé Laverne at the controls, aircraft 8X s/n 01 lifted off from Dassault Aviation’s Mérignac plant near Bordeaux. The aircraft levelled off at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) and raised its landing gear before beginning flight handling manoeuvres and system tests at 15,000 ft (4,500 m). It later climbed to FL400 (12,000 m) accelerating to Mach 0.80. The aircraft subsequently descended to 5,000 feet for approach and landing.

“We reached a key milestone in the Falcon 8X programme, and are right on target for mid-2016 certification and second half 2016 deliveries,” said Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “The new Falcon has been well received in the marketplace and already shows every sign of being a commercial and technical success. This early achievement reflects Dassault Aviation’s half century of experience in the business aviation industry.”

Embraer’s comprehensive range of jets

Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, has a comprehensive range of business jets and it is displaying showcase its entire aircraft portfolio on static display; the entry-level Phenom 100E, the Phenom 300 light jet, the Legacy 450 mid-light, the Legacy 500 midsize, the large-cabin Legacy 650, and the ultra-large-cabin Lineage 1000E. Coming close on the heels of its success in China where it showcased the new Legacy 500, Embraer has lined up exciting offerings for the European market. “Europe is a key market for us, with Phenom, Legacy and Lineage customers across the region,” said Marco Tulio Pellegrini, President & CEO of Embraer Executive Jets. “It was just 10 years ago that we announced our first clean-sheet executive jet designs. Today, our EBACE 2015 exhibit features a full line of award-winning aircraft. The Phenom 300 has been the world’s most-delivered business jet in each of the last two years and the game-changing Legacy 500, which is already in operation in the Americas, the Middle East and Asia, will soon have its first European customer delivery.”

Gulfstream on record-breaking spree

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. is riding high on the records its jets are breaking. It recently announced that the G650ER set two city-pair records while flying around the world in one stop. The G650ER took off from White Plains, New York, with three passengers and four crew members on board. It flew 6,939 nautical miles (12,851 kilometres) eastbound to Beijing at an average speed of Mach 0.87 for a total flight time of 13 hours and 20 minutes. The aircraft then flew eastbound 6,572 nm (12,171 km) to Savannah, accomplishing the mission at an average speed of Mach 0.89 for a total flight time of 12 hours. The aircraft landed both times with fuel in excess of National Business Aviation Association instrument flight rule reserves.

“There isn’t another business jet capable of this mission,” said Scott Neal, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. “This flight proves just how powerful a machine the G650ER is. We promised customers an aircraft that could take them farther faster than any other; we delivered on that promise. The G650ER provides a combination of speed and range that is creating history and setting records.”

Pilatus bets on good sales again

Last year at EBACE, Pilatus Aircraft had a solid run. It announced that all PC-24s to be built in the first three years of production were sold over the first two days of EBACE 2014. Pilatus made a deliberate decision not to accept orders for deliveries from 2020 or afterwards, preferring to wait until a later date to announce plans for the opening of the order books for PC-24 deliveries from 2020. It remains to be seen how it is going to perform this year. Based at the headquarters in Stans, the PC-24 project team rolled out the first PC-24 on May 11.

Textron showcases Cessna and Beechcraft

Cessna and Beechcraft will showcase its latest offering. Beechcraft’s King Air 250 is more than just a business icon. The King Air 250 takes the proven and popular Model 200 series to a new level of performance. With an increased gross weight/enhanced payload option, more powerful PT6A-52 engines, composite winglets and composite scimitar propellers, it provides far more mission flexibility. Take your King Air where it’s never been before. The legendary comfort of the King Air’s square-oval interior offers generous head and shoulder room, unmatched by conventional cabin cross sections. The King Air 250 interior is furnished with finely crafted seats that are able to laterally track, swivel and recline.

EBACE 2015 continues to marvel the business aviation community which is on a recovery path and events such as these help build morale and extend global networking.