From the Editor-in-Chief

Dear Reader,

The encouraging pace of developments in recent months — including the import of nearly 10 new single-engine helicopters in just two months — is a testament to the growing momentum in this segment, underlined Harsh Vardhan Sharma, President of BAOA. In his letter in this edition of BizAvIndia, BAOA President further reflects on the success of the BizAvIndia 2025 conference. The event drew participation from key stakeholders and senior officials from regulatory and policy-making bodies.

Manish Kumar Jha reports on the BizAvIndia 2025 conference, which convened policymakers, industry experts, aviation leaders, and sector stakeholders to collectively chart a roadmap for the sector’s future. Held under the theme “Transforming Business Aviation for Viksit Bharat – Policy Reforms, Sustainable Growth, and Innovations”, the conference addressed the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, from policy reforms and sustainability imperatives to emerging business models and advanced technologies. The conference got a further boost by the active participation of Naveen Jindal, an Industrialist, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and a huge proponent of business aviation in India; and Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General of the DGCA India.

This issue features an exclusive interview with Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, Founding and Executive Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) and re-elected Chair of the IBAC Governing Board. Alnaqbi was quite forthcoming to our request for an interview during MEBAA 2024 and offered a candid perspective on Business Aviation’s evolving role in the Middle East, its challenges, and the importance of reshaping public perception about the sector’s value and contribution. Meanwhile, MEBAA 2024 reaffirmed the Middle East’s growing influence in Business Aviation. Marked by strategic announcements and new collaborations, the show spotlighted technology innovation and a dynamic range of aircraft offerings. A show report on MEBAA 2024 is included in the magazine.

This edition also includes a detailed report on Gulfstream Aerospace’s G800 longrange business jet that recently got certified in the US and Europe with FAA and EASA certifications. The Savannah, Georgia-based manufacturer announced today that it has secured the certifications for the new aircraft, the longest-range business jet in its fleet, after exceeding expectations during performance testing.

There is another report on the AERO 2025 show that witnessed remarkable participation from 760 exhibitors across 38 nations, featuring 328 aircraft and drawing over 32,000 visitors from 80+ countries.

Given the growing threat of GPS interference and spoofing incidents, this edition includes a special feature on best practices to counter GPS spoofing attacks. Pilots and OEMs recommend reporting the incident immediately to the air traffic controller.

All this and more in this issue of BizAvIndia. Welcome aboard and we wish you many happy landings!