Photos courtesy of EBACE
Against the backdrop of announcements from aircraft manufacturers, the 2023 European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition or EBACE2023 featured Textron Aviation new Cessna Citation Ascend and Airbus Corporate Jets’ showed off the ACJ TwoTwenty, Bombardier’s Challenger 3500 and Gulfstream’s G800 aircraft.
Analysts and experts expressed general optimism the industry will continue to flourish throughout the remainder of the year and beyond as traffic across Europe and North America remained higher than 2019 levels.
There was a riveting keynote address from Formula One Toto and Susie Wolff keeping a crowd mesmerized with their stories and anecdotes of leadership and continuous learning. The two celebrated the shared aims of racing and business aviation and highlighted the parallels for safety, sustainability, technical excellence, diversity and high performance.
The exhibition floor was bustling a hive of activity with packed sessions that also featured the new sustainability theatre. Held at the Palexpo convention centre that is just next to the Geneva Airport (GVA), the event is the largest of its kind in Europe.
Co-hosted by the NBAA and EBAA, the event also focussed on innovation under the banner of advanced air mobility, sustainability and of course, electric, hydrogen and hybrid technologies.
Mention must be made of Raphaël Domjan, founder and pilot for SolarStatus, who told those present how his company would push the boundaries of aviation through the achievement of stratospheric flight using solar-powered aircraft.
There was a strong signal from AAM industry leaders – unequivocally, that air taxis are coming next year.
Dirk Hoke, CEO of Germany-based Volocopter, said his company’s battery-powered eVTOLs are expected to begin service next year when it plans to offer commercial passenger flights during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
EBACE2023 also promoted the production and use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with a sold-out supply at the show week and made the fuel available at select US airports with EBACE-bound flights.
In addition, an EBACE book-and-claim option at a US airport where the fuel is not present was also put in place.
Carbon emissions from all attendees travel to and from the show, and from the 22 hotels and the shuttle buses used for EBACE were offset by carbon credits provided through a partnership with 4AIR.
Most business aircraft operators planning their strategies for reaching net-zero carbon emissions focus on fuel reduction or buying sustainable aviation fuel. But, flight operations looking to take it to the next level often purchase carbon offsets. “For many people, [buying offsets] is just a number. But people really forget that there’s a real project behind it,” said Sébastien Lacube, chief science officer at Azzera, a centralized carbon market spot exchange based in Canada and Switzerland
This year’s EBACE was dedicated to the memory and legacy of Athar Husain Khan, the Secretary-General of EBAA, lost this year, whose passion for business aviation and belief in human connection undergirded the entire show.
EBACE will return to Palexpo and Geneva Airport next year from 28-30 May 2024.
Some content from the following. To read more go to: https://ebace.aero/2023/news/new-aircraft-sustainability-innovation-capture-imaginations-at-ebace2023