Innovation, Sustainability, Next Gen and Technology to the Fore

The most eagerly awaited business aviation event, European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) successfully wrapped up year characterised by new products, new business models, and new investment opportunities. Held annually in Geneva at Geneva Airport and Palexpo conference center for three days, EBACE2019 was organised from May 21 to 23, 2019.

INNOVATION INITIATED AT EBACE2019

Innovation, sustainability and inspiration for the young minds emerged as the highlights of the EBACE2019. “Today, we have drones, we have electric vehicles, we have supersonic on the verge, we have commercial space launches going on all around us, and so we know we’re living in a time of change,” added said National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO, Ed Bolen.

EBACE2019 stressed on the significance of innovation through portrayal of technologies, concepts and prototypes as well as education sessions regarding several future-looking developments like Flying Future: Electric Propulsion and Business Aviation,” “Global Trends, Blockchain and Business Aviation,” “eVTOL: an Urban Mobility Solution” and “Lexi, Book Me a Jet.” Exhibitions areas under the names of Innovation Zone, Innovation Pavilion, also adorned the show.

Mockups of advanced vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities and the electrically-powered aircraft were part of the dynamic concepts displayed at the EBACE2019 Innovation Pavilion. Many new and well-received Innovation Zone sessions too featured including “Shark Tank”-style presentation of the proposals of the future leaders to encourage corporate social and environmental responsibility.

GLIDING INTO THE FUTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY

A record number of airplanes arrived at the business aviation industry’s largest event fueled by sustainable alternative jet fuels (SAJF). 23 aircraft, all of which were a part of the event’s static display, reached Geneva Airport (GVA) for the annual EBACE2019 using alternative fuels in the first-ever EBACE SAJF ‘Fly-In’.

“Nearly half the airplanes in the static display flew here [to EBACE2019] on SAJF,” said Brad Nolen, Bombardier vice president of marketing and strategy. “This is a drop-in fuel. All our airplanes, from the manufacturers sitting up here, can take this fuel, and when you fly on it, you will notice no difference.”

At EBACE 2018, the SAJF consortium [General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), EBAA, Innovation Business Acceleration Center (IBAC), NBAA and National Air Transportation Association (NATA)] had launched the SAJF guide. “This week’s record-setting EBACE SAJF Fly-In is a milestone in business aviation’s commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions,” said EBAA Chairman of the Board of Governors Juergen Wiese.

This step further highlights how crucial is the use and production of the alternate fuels for the business aviation industry’s commitment on climate change with the aim to achieve carbon neutral growth from 2020 forward.

Not only that, EBACE2019 also hosted a panel of fuel and industry technical experts who discussed the properties of SAJF and its current and projected wider use within the business aviation sector. “This fuel is safe. It does not impact your maintenance. It does not impact your operation efficiency. It does not impact your performance of the aircraft,” said Wiese.

Air BP, Avfuel, Aviator, Bombardier, Cirrus Aircraft, Daher, Dassault Aviation, Diamond Aircraft, Embraer, Gulfstream, JSSI, NESTE, Textron Aviation and World Fuel Services were some of the fuel providers for this remarkable moment.

Major aircraft manufacturers like Bombardier, Gulfstream, Cirrus, Embraer, Piaggio, Dassault and Textron Aviation, fuelled up on SAJF for the presentation flights putting forth the vitality of SAJF. SAJF was provided at the specific airports particularly for aircraft manufacturers and operators to fly-in together to EBACE in Geneva.

SAJF has been tested to meet all the same properties as kerosen-Wiese assured everyone that “there is no difference in performance.” As the head of BMW’s flight department, Wiese has flown his company’s aircraft on SAJF, saying it will become a way to align with parent companies’ sustainability goals.

eVTOL AIMING TO TOUCH THE SKY SOON

With sky taxis, drones, and other urban air mobility (UAM) techniques taking shape, a large focus seems to be narrowing on the concepts around electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. EBACE2019 rightfully acknowledged that in a few years, eVTOL has gone from a dream to a fast-growing new sector, where aviation’s “big iron” manufacturers and tech startups are investing more than $1 billion a year.

There are at least 120 companies working worldwide on eVTOL vehicles, noted EBACE. Engineers and entrepreneurs from eight of those companies showed off their concepts in the May 22 panel at EBACE2019 titled ‘eVTOL: an Urban Mobility Solution’. The advanced control systems that were developed for drones also have applications to eVTOL passenger aircraft.

UAM took the centre stage at EBACE. Some of the electric vertical and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft making their presence felt at EBACE2019 were:

• This edition of EBACE also witnessed the presence of VTOL manufactures including EHang, Volocopter and Lisa Airplanes. For the first time at EBACE, three companies brought mockups of unmanned vehicles, such as this FACC EHang 216 that caught much of attention.
• The British luxury ‘boutique’ operator ConnectJets’ electric motor driven XP2 which has also been called as an eVTOL, was also flown on a mixture of ordinary and biofuel to EBACE2019, according to media reports.
• Pegasus Universal Aerospace from South Africa also made its debut at EBACE2019 displaying it’s accomplishments with Pegasus One, the Vertical-Business-Jet (VBJ).
• Another debut was made at EBACE2019 by the UK-based startup airframer Samad Aerospace displayed a flying scale prototype of its blended-wing concept, which uses fans integrated into its fuselage for lift, as well as a pair of aft tilting fans that provide forward thrust.

COMPANIES AT EBACE2019

Over 50 state-of-the-art business aircraft were at display during EBACE2019 comprising of all sizes, from the latest ones to the legacy aircraft like the Junkers F 13. Stretched over three halls at Palexpo, EBACE2019 featured nearly 400 exhibitors including 10 new ones, prominently located in the show’s New Exhibitor Pavilion:

Boeing: A new Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) services bundle was introduced by Boeing at EBACE2019 along with the offering’s first customer, Hong Kong-based charter management company Metrojet. The services bundle includes 24/7 onboard performance tools, technical support, and maintenance planning data tailored to meet specific customer needs. Vital digital aviation tools for BBJ flight as well as maintenance crews are also provided by the bundle.

Dassault Aviation: Dassault presented a full-scale mock-up of the new Falcon 6X, with the mock-up of Rafale and a representation of the new capabilities of Dassault Aviation’s Falcon maintenance networks. A Falcon 8X tri-jet, a Falcon 900LX tri-jet, and a Falcon 2000S twin-jet were presented in the static display by Dassault Aviation.

Textron: The company’s aircraft display included its new flagship, the Cessna Citation Longitude super-midsize business jet; a medevac-configured Cessna Citation Latitude midsize jet; and a Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprop aircraft, 2018’s most popular turbine model, featuring the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite. Other aircraft in the static display area consisted of a Cessna Citation Latitude, a Cessna Citation XLS+ light midsize business jet, a Cessna Citation CJ3+ light jet; a Cessna Citation M2 entry level jet; and a Beechcraft King Air 350i turboprop aircraft. Also on display from Bell, a Textron company, was a Bell 429 and Bell 505.

Volocopter: An eVTOL air taxi with a 22-mile range, 400 pounds of payload capacity and a very quiet operating profile, its latest model is designed for short-range, urban missions.

Airbus: At EBACE, the only manufacture with its own VIP subsidiary in Airbus Corporate Helicopters, Airbus announced the delivery of the first of the two ACH145s to a private customer to fly to and land on superyacht.

Leonardo: The aerospace, defence and security company, Leonardo signed a contract at EBACE for an AW109 GrandNew and an AW109 Trekker in VIP configuration.

MAKING WAY FOR BUDDING PROFESSIONALS

Young professionals from the business aviation industry came together to inspire, encourage and guide students about making their way into this profession. To bridge that gap between employers and potential employees, EBACE2019 featured the annual Careers in Business Aviation Day, now in its fourth year, for students and recent graduates, and presented a session called, “How I Broke Into Business Aviation and You Can Too” along with the young professionals (YoPro) session.

EBACE also provided an opportunity for EBAA to announce the opening of nominations for the second delegation of students sponsored by the association to participate in the One Young World summit, an initiative that is part of EBAA’s Expanding Horizons campaign.