EBACE: Gateway to Opportunity

NBAA President John W. Olcott (left) and EBAA President Brian Humphries

"North America may have been the hotbed of business aviation growth over the past decade, but Europe now offers tremendous opportunities and potential for growth," declared European Business Aviation Association chairman Brian Humphries when he welcomed the press to EBACE yesterday.

Noting that Europe's total fleet of turbine business aircraft has been relatively flat for some years at around 2,000 units-10% of the world fleet and about 14% of the U.S. tally, Humphries pointed out that the raw statistics disguise significant equipment upgrades. European operators replaced older aircraft with 50 new ones during 2000. Companies are also working their aircraft harder, doing more business with smaller fleets, and fractional ownership is opening up many new opportunities.

The key issue for European operators remains access for business aviation. "This is primarily about airport access, but we need also to watch airspace access if air traffic control providers are privatized," Humphries cautioned.

Thanking the business aviation industry, operators and officials for their support for this inaugural EBACE, Humphries said EBAA believes the show will play a key role in promoting business aviation to potential users, governments, authorities and to the general public, by making them more aware of its key role and drawing attention to the environmental performance and good neighborliness of business operations.

"Now is the time for EBACE and business aviation in Europe," NBAA president Jack Olcott told lunch guests. "Geographically, Europe is about the same size as the United States, but it has not fully capitalized on the value of business aviation. EBACE is the forum for leveraging opportunity and bringing in a new era.

"It's a great honor for NBAA to be part of it," Olcott said, "and we look forward to it being repeated for many years to come."