Press Release

Issued by Asian Business Aviation Association.

May 25, 2016

Representatives of AsBAA, the Asian region's non-for-profit representative trade body for business aviation was at EBACE this year engaging with its European partners and members who are exhibiting and attending as well. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up face to face and discuss the global agenda items for business aviation and the latest challenges we face as an industry.

Speaking on the association's engagement with its US and European counterparts at EBAA and NBAA, AsBAA vice chairman, David Best said, “as an IBAC member and co-host of the ABACE show together with NBAA, it's vital that AsBAA attends EBACE and can see and hear the latest developments within our industry. EBACE represents the perfect opportunity to continue discussions from nearly two months after ABACE16 that was held in Shanghai, at the table and work collaboratively to resolve some of the issues facing the industry, worldwide.”

EBACE has seen several leading companies from the Asia region attend this year which raises the need for deepening global cooperation on Asia at all shows around the world and not just our own, especially on matters of safety and overall business aviation development and infrastructure for the industry. President Jing of Shanghai Airport Authority and the ABACE pioneer venue host in China was honoured by EBACE, EBAA and NBAA with the industry innovation award during a VIP lunch on Tuesday.

Mike Walsh, board of governors said, “AsBAA is encouraged to see greater collaboration and communication channels between industry bodies, influential AsBAA members, EBAA, NBAA, GAMA, IBAC, AFBAA, MEBAA and ourselves on day one already and it bodes well for the remainder of the week together. The true value of business aviation is to make the world a smaller place: safely, timely and cost efficiently. The stumbling blocks to this are intercultural communication, regulation not fit for purpose, and a lack of standardisation within our sector. At EBACE already we have heard encouraging words from EASA and users who both advocate and challenge our industry to be better which is right and proper. Greater global cooperation on common complaints and regulatory reform between industry bodies is the right thing for this time so we have a wonderful platform developing in parallel to our day to day responsibilities for the next generation of aviators and users. The industry wants this as do the customers and to the same degree regulators and governments also look to us for the right balance of solutions and needs. There is always work to done to improve, advocate our industry in the right way but one thing EBACE and shows like this do above all us is remind us all who work in the industry just how lucky we are. The people make our industry and they are some of the best in the world at what they do. We're thrilled to see China and pan Asia recognised not only as a growing business development opportunity, but also as a leader of innovation, congratulations to President Jing."

EBACE continues today with the most impressive static display to date, including aircraft operators and brokers who are proud AsBAA members including, Jetcraft, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Embraer, Boeing and Airbus to name just a few. One aircraft that has stood out is the latest Boeing's B787 Dreamliner VIP configured aircraft that Deerjet, the mainland Chinese operator hopes to complete on in the coming weeks, which is very exciting for the region. AsBAA chapter chair of greater China HK and Macau, Denzil White said, “What I'm seeing is a growing contingent of Chinese and Asian based buyers and sellers as well as industry colleagues attending shows outside of their region like EBACE and NBAA, the majority of which our are proud members. We're delighted to see so many of them represented here at EBACE where the mood is of optimism in Asia for or industry despite the headwinds around the world due to continued uncertainty currently. Plenty of health checks, remedies and prescribed medicine are being discussed here at the show this week and some welcomed innovative services and products are on display and taking centre stage. As ABACE co-hosts, AsBAA now has plenty of food for thought for ABACE17 and being here in Europe with our finger on the pulse has been invaluable so far!”