Our lead story in this issue is on the return of the in-person MEBAA show, with a bang, in Dubai from December 6-8, 2022. Promising an unmatchable experience of the exhibition hall, chalets and aircraft display located in one convenient location- The MEBAA Show 2022 offers a unique opportunity for the BA/GA fraternity to meet, view, learn and network with the Who’s who of the region’s private and business aviation community. MEBAA Show is showcasing the latest cutting-edge and innovative solutions. Executive Lifestyle along with the latest in digital platforms for business and private aviation, blockchain-based assets, eVTOL aircraft and the most advanced technologies, there will be plenty on display for all types of users of business aircraft. Ayushee Chaudhary brings a report on what can be expected at the show.

Business Aviation saw a significant growth over the last couple of years, as passengers shifted to flying private due to safety concerns. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed health, safety and sanitisation at the forefront of the entire customer experience. As travellers return to the skies, in an article in this issue, Rohit Goel looks at some of the initiatives taken and the developments underway to provide Clean and Fresh air to passengers on private aircraft.

Earlier this year, Ministry of Civil Aviation’s flagship program Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN completed 5 years of success since the launch of it first flight by Prime Minister on April 27, 2017. More than one crore passengers flown since the inception of the scheme which has seen 425 New routes started; 58 airports, eight heliports and two water aerodromes have been connected and now a 1,000 Routes and 220 airports are planned to be facilitated under the scheme by 2026. Perhaps the biggest beneficiary of this RCS UDAN is the North-East Region (NER) of the country which always was cut-off from the rest of the country due to limited connectivity. In an article in this issue, Sanjay Bhatnagar covers how, under RCS, numerous airlines have started flights to various cities in the NER, various airports and other aviation infrastructure have been developed and now a perceptible growth in the region can be seen due to increased and better connectivity.

Aviation is highly technology based and the entire flying experience of the passengers is driven by aviation technologies. From the first commercial flight onwards, the adventure of flying on a plane has undergone a sea change, all thanks to newer technologies which are making air travel smoother, safer and seamless. One company that is on the forefront of developing technologies for the future of flight is General Electric (GE). In the pursuit of Net Zero emissions and innovations, the company is working on some break-through technologies. This issue includes a report by Joseph Noronha on GE’s road map towards the Future of Flight.

The 14th Chinese International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as the Airshow China was held in the port city of Zhuhai, China from November 8-13, 2022. The Chinese defence industry put out a bewildering array of weapons, vehicles, helicopters and aircraft as they seek to meet the needs of the rapidly modernising People’s Liberation Army and to capture lucrative export markets. Rohit Goel brings the show report in this issue.

All this and more in this issue of SP’s Aviation. Welcome aboard and we wish you many happy landings!