August saw 61,831 business aviation flight departures in Europe - 1,974 fewer YOY - representing the largest drop so far in 2014.

According to WINGX`s latest monthly Business Aviation Monitor, the market is now 1% down on last year's trend and 21% off the pre-2009 peak in European flight activity.

Evidently the market has been offset by geopolitical crises: 56% decline in activity in Ukraine, -18% in Russia, with associated repercussions for business aviation in Germany, down 9% year on year.

Flights within the EU were more stable however and a number of member states such as Italy, Spain and Austria saw positive YOY activity. The UK gained 11% in charter flights and flights from Malta increased 98%.

Business jets, which represent over 70% of all activity, lost 3% flights YOY. This decline offset small gains in Turboprop activity, and a gain of more than 25% in Piston activity. Despite the overall decline in business jet flights, some countries increased jet activity; between +5 and +10% for Sweden, Croatia and The Netherlands. Turboprop activity added 12% in the UK, and piston departures in Greece rose 45% YOY.

European outbound flights to the CIS fell 25% in August, and YTD, inbound activity from the CIS to Europe is down 16%. Other global regions have increased connections to Europe, such as +8% from the United States, YTD.

Aircraft

There were contrasting patterns of demand for different aircraft segments, with heavy jet activity subsiding, but ultra-long and super midsize jets flying more. VLJ flight activity maintained an 8th consecutive month of YOY growth.

Embraer aircraft continued to flourish, with for example 69% increase in light jet flights. Bombardier ULR jets flew 17% more YOY, although as a whole, Bombardier and also Gulfstream aircraft flew less in August YOY.

The largest gains in activity were registered by Global Express aircraft, with the Sovereign gaining most in charter and the PC12 in private.

Leading bizav airports mostly gained activity (for example, Luton +20%) although Northolt fell >40%.

Richard Koe, Managing Director of WINGX Advance, comments, “Evidently the persistent and recently escalating Ukraine crisis is affecting business aviation activity. Flights from Ukraine and Russia are clearly stalling, and Western Europe, particularly Germany, is feeling the repercussions. So far most of the decline is in private flights. Charter flights are only slightly diminished, and at the major bizav´ airports there has in fact been growth through this summer, particularly in the UK and across the Med resorts.”

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WINGX Advance is a data research and consulting company based in Hamburg, Germany. WINGX analysis provides actionable market intelligence for the business aviation industry. WINGX services include: Market Intelligence Briefings, Customised Research, Strategic Consulting, Market Surveys. WINGX customers range from aircraft operators, OEMs, airlines, maintenance providers, airports, fixed base operators, fuel providers, regulators, legal advisors, leasing companies, banks, investors and private jet users.