After a few tough years as a result of the economic downturn, the European business jet market is on a recovering trend. Speaking at the European Business Aviation Convention (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, Fabio Gamba, CEO of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), said that major indicators in the market are positive and the last six months have seen “timid growth” expected to reach one to 1.5 percent this year. Gamba likened the economy to sprouting “green shoots” that need to be encouraged and protected.
The show floor at the Palexpo convention center, which opened its doors today, is full of activity with 499 exhibitors — an increase of 8 percent over last year — on a floor space that is 4 percent larger than last year. With 56 aircraft parked in the static display area on Geneva’s Cointrin International Airport tarmac, which so far has been blessed with perfect weather, the number is the same as last year, but Gamba said it is the maximum number that the space can accommodate and the airplanes that are there represent larger airplanes overall than those on display last year.
Dassault introduced a new airplane with the Falcon 8X at the show while Piaggio and Gulfstream launched modified versions of the G650 business jet and Avanti twin pusher. GAMA’s president and CEO Pete Bunce said: “We’ve innovated our way through the downturn.”
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