Postcard from CARIBAVIA

Aviation shows and conferences. Must attend. FOMO. You really don’t want to go, but need to. A habit you can’t break. Niche events growing in popularity - like AIN’s Corporate Leaders’ Event coming to Europe, Corporate Jet Investor launching in Saudi Arabia. And the just when you think there may be a new venue for an old favourite, it’s back in the same city.

And then there’s CARIBAVIA. A unique Leisure destination event. It’s a privilege to attend, we’re all agreed. Part of the fun (like AEROFriedrichshafen) is the journey. My routing involved three aircraft. British Airways’ outbound / United to San Juan. Premier service with inflight entertainment was good. BA Economy better outbound than inbound. Then the highlight. The last mile flight aboard Tradewind's Pilatus PC-12 to St Barth. As exciting as coming back (tired) from Geneva aboard an (empty leg) Bombardier Global 6000 into London City Airport. I’m reminded I’ve flown the biggest and smallest - within a month.

The expectation of knowing it will be a great event and feeling energised coming back home when you’ve not only had a great flight, but you’ve practically saved a day.

The private Tradewind's lounge at San Juan Airport is as appealing as an FBO, contained within the main terminal. Transport straight to the aircraft, with the crew. Kathryn Creedy's JetBlue connection from Miami was late so we missed flying that last leg together, but there was another departure an hour later. As long as you get into St Barth’s small runway before sunset the service is as flexible as a bus. Umberto Vallini and Tatjana Obrazcova travelled via Paris CDG just ahead of us. Big thanks to Umberto who took many of the photos in this issue. He found himself in demand with Caribbean operators and charter brokers keen to talk with him regarding his expertise and experience of business aviation in the South of France.

Back to the Future

The handling and operators at St Barth are slick. They need to be, considering the clientele they’re catering for. I couldn’t help but think that new, on demand per seat models would be welcome now - in and around the UK - back to the 80s - but better - owing to advanced technology, AI. New clean sheet commuterliner types like the Tecnam Traveller and Cessna SkyCourier (which Titan Airways introduces next year) are ideal to make operations like this happen.

The Grand Caravan is a great pathfinder and it’s starting an on demand, per seat model in Germany - with flybird.

There’s something enjoyable about an event like CARIBAVIA, listening to senior Island parliamentary leaders / meeting inspirational women like Enriqueta Zambonini who took four flights to come and talk with us from Argentina (an Aerolineas Argentina Embraer 190 First Officer and aircraft accident inspector) and Phoebe Martin, Business Operations, an impressive speaker, representing Archer. She had to leave early to attend Paris Air Show. She and her UK business development colleague Verity Richardson are terrific young ambassadors for next gen eVTOL technology, being viewed with interest in the Caribbean - but only when they’ve got the infrastructure right.

As for Nevis and their future plans, I agree with Dorin Ivascu, CEO, Romanian Airport Services and Regional Air Support, a valued CARIBAVIA guest, it should be multi modal - being so close to the water. Cue for electric seaplanes. Kathryn and I hope to see that trending innovation on the agenda at the next CARIBAVIA - wherever it lands.

CARIBAVIA 2027 will be Antigua. Hurrah - a direct flight from LHR and far less chance for my checked bag to get left behind. BA and United through check in didn’t work at San Juan, even though I paid US$60. Luckily, I had 48hrs between returning and departing to CDG for the Paris Air Show. My case arrived at my home, just as I was checking in. And how did that show make me feel?

Well that’s a different story, entirely.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 7th August 2025 | Issue #807