Appleby’s dedicated aviation team attended the 2014 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (“EBACE”) in Geneva last week, Europe’s largest and most important business aviation trade show.
Jointly hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the event is held each year at Geneva’s Palexpo conference centre at Geneva International Airport. The 2014 show took place from May 20 to 22.
2014 was the biggest year yet for EBACE, with more than 13,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibitor booths filling the largest exhibition footprint in the event’s 14-year history.
Appleby were among the exhibitors for a fourth consecutive year represented by Director of Operations Brian Johnson, Fiduciary Manager Allister Crossley and Corporate & Commercial lawyer Eleanor Dangerfield, along with representatives from the groups Guernsey and Jersey offices.
Brian said: ‘EBACE is a key event, not only for Appleby but for the Isle of Man as a jurisdiction. It provides an invaluable opportunity to meet representatives from all aspects of the aviation industry, including major corporate aircraft manufacturers, international business leaders and government officials.
He continued, ‘As the only offshore legal group with a presence in all three Crown Dependencies, as well as the aircraft registry locations of Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, Appleby is perfectly positioned to assist clients with all aspects of their offshore aviation needs drawing on the wealth of experience and diverse skills of our legal and fiduciary teams around the world.’
The strength of the business aviation sector was again highlighted at the event this year, with wealth creation, increasing business jet penetration in high growth economies and the globalisation of trade identified as key market drivers for this growth. This market confidence was echoed by leading business jet manufacturer and EBACE exhibitor Bombardier who predicts 24,000 business jet deliveries valued at US$650 billion over the next 20 years in its latest Market Forecast report.
EBACE also provided a prominent platform for manufacturers and operators to announce their latest news, ensuring a strong media presence and coverage. Key announcements this year included the launch of the:
• Falcon 8X by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault, with more range and cabin space than any other Falcon
• G650ER by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation which can fly 500 nautical miles further than the G650
• Avanti Evolution twin turboprop by Piaggio Aero a multinational aerospace manufacturing company headquartered in Italy.
In addition the Honda Aircraft Company revealed the first production HondaJet which will feature on next year’s static display whilst Bombardier, the world’s only manufacturer of both aircraft and trains, displayed a 111ft mock-up of its Global 7000 inside the exhibition centre.
Brian added: ‘This year EBACE certainly displayed an industry that is working together to ensure that business aviation remains essential for successful international businesses and in turn, the Isle of Man. Like many jurisdictions the Island was heavily represented and remains a popular registry for aircraft owners and representatives. We must continue to work hard to maintain the high standards of service we are renowned for within the industry in order to maintain our market leading position.’
He continued, ‘Since its launch in 2007 the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry has firmly positioned itself as the seventh largest business jet register in the world and has seen seven years of constant growth in both the number of aircraft registered and increasing aviation business for the Island’s private sector.
‘Industry events such as EBACE remain critical to this success, providing an ideal platform for the Isle of Man to showcase its unique expertise in a targeted environment. Here at Appleby we remain committed to promoting the Isle of Man as the jurisdiction of choice for offshore aviation needs and are confident that the work at EBACE 2014 will attract even more business to the Island.’
