Show Time: Germany takes the bizav crown

AERO Friedrichshafen may be a show with a nearly five decades’ legacy, but it gained a considerably wider fan base last week with record participation from the business aviation fraternity.

Its Business Aviation Showcase Hub (BASH) landed well last year, but this April it was back - bigger - with 50 business aircraft showcasing on the static. Approximately 350 of the total 860 exhibitors, from 50 countries, were active in business aviation.

Easy walking access to the static from Hall 1, the dedicated bizav hall, with a large JetEx stand centrepiece, was a reminder of EBACE past. Yet AERO presents a different vibe. Opening the event, Show Director Tobias Bretzel, heralded the elevation of business aviation as an exciting new chapter in its history. However, we will not lose sight of our roots, he insisted, sharing that every second visitor to AERO is a pilot.

“We created this show as a meeting place for pilots, with light, general and sports aviation as the core focus and that hasn’t changed.”

The Cessna 408 SkyCourier made its debut at AERO Friedrichshafen.

Eleven of the 12 halls were devoted to these growing sectors, complemented by daily expert presentations and briefings on new propulsion systems, electric and hydrogen flight, pilot training initiatives and avionics advances, playing out in the East and West conference rooms.

Teaming up with The Air Charter Association for mini conferences and a brokers’ training day clearly took the bizav element up a gear. The Jet Business’ Steve Varsano flew in from London Biggin Hill to share his thoughts on the pre-owned market on a panel led by Yves Le Marquand from Corporate Jet Investor.

“AERO Friedrichshafen delivered a well executed conference programme with pertinent subjects effecting our industry,” commented Steve Varsano. “There was a great cross section of corporate and general aviation aircraft and the whole atmosphere was friendly, welcoming and informative.”

Corporate Jet Investor hosted two panels at AERO including one on pre owned aircraft trends with Steve Varsano, Warren Lovell and Meghan Dwyer.

With the late cancellation of EBACE, exhibitors were swift to expand their presence. Platoon Aviation, sponsor of the outdoor hub, was a sea of jovial hospitality. Hans Jet turned their stand into a DJ set with their director of sales at the decks. Champagne flowed. The BASH Dome party tickets were coveted (like the Alttudes’ wristbands of years past).

AERO really is a different vibe. I connected with a FlexJet company CEO having shared (with his permission) a photo of his Bonsai Setter/Spaniel Gina, clearly enjoying her owner’s meetings. We’ve since engaged on LinkedIn.

Considerately, exhibitors put out water bowls and dog snacks. Memo to Adidas, which has just rolled out World Cup branding for four-legged companions - SIRIO did it first.

The international presence was noteworthy, including delegates from Saudi Arabia, where AERO is expanding to in collaboration with Sand & Fun next year.

I met representatives from the Singapore Air Show and the MEBAA. Organisers insist this year’s event, its 20th edition, will go ahead. It coincides with the last F1 race of the Season and GITEX, one of the Emirates’ largest tech shows.

AERO delegates included teams from NetJets, Wheels Up, Gama Aviation (with a sizeable stand promoting all its aviation services capabilities) and SaxonAir.

Adelaide Riposte from St Barth Executive started her journey by Cessna Caravan to St Maarten via Paris and Naples, excited to share her operator starts 3x daily flights by PC-12 and P2012 Traveller from St Barth to St Maarten today (30th April), furthering connectivity to a major Caribbean hub, under a codeshare with Corsair and Air Caraibes.

Tecnam used the show to announce a VIP version of the P2012 with stunning interior. We already love this aircraft - and now it’s elevated with full executive fit.

Tecnam goes VIP - unveiled at AERO.

It was also good to see Piaggio back - after a six-year pause - under new Baykar Turkish ownership and it’s looking forward to rolling out a new model, the Avanti NX.

An excellent feature of AERO is the pre-show press tour, which Piaggio and its newly appointed CEO participated in. Great for photographers and videographers to capture visiting aircraft before the flood of visitors, multi language translation broadcast via headphones.

By Thursday Piaggio announced an undisclosed order from a European customer for the NX. Next on the agenda please - reactivate your London City Airport certification with the Evo. LCY’s The Private Jet Centre’s General Manager Chris Clayton, a late booking exhibitor, became an expert in scooter transport here, prompting the suggestion of a new sponsorship category.

.Michael Axtmann and Beba Sukic at FAI Group brought the Learjet 65 XR -
one of four in its upgraded Learjet fleet.

Textron rounded off the press tour with an announcement from expanding charter operator LUMINAIR for nine Citation Latitudes. This furthers the success for two ex-Air Hamburg senior executives who decided that being part of the Vista family wasn’t for them. With the Latitudes arriving from later this year, and deliveries coming every two months, this move positions LUMINAIR in the mid-size market. When all deliveries are complete their fleet will total 23 aircraft. The Textron press briefing finished with beer and pretzels and a biscuit for a journalist’s attentive dog. BARK Air, that new private airline for dogs, would not be out of place here..

My first AERO was 2017 supporting Mike Creed and a raft of Chinese-owned GA companies based in Germany. That was also a celebratory year for single-engine turboprops when commercial approval was granted for the PC-12 and others to fly commercially in Europe (SET-IMC). The PC-12 has become one of the industry’s most popular aircraft - evidenced at AERO with several on show. Congratulations to Jetfly, marking its 25th year, who have single-handedly elevated the PC-12 commercially in Europe. It’s now the biggest operator of the PC-12 and PC-24 in Europe with a 70-strong fleet and three more PC-12s arriving this year. It used AERO to announce its unified Jetfly Group branding. The evolution of AERO is very much in step with Jetfly’s own progression in fractional ownership, management, training, maintenance and new - Jetfly on Demand.

There was a lot of interest in the Citation Ascend, making its debut alongside the Longtitude, but I wanted to visit the SkyCourier, the clean sheet design piston-engined, multi-purpose utility offering. It was a late entrant, positioned right at the end of the static. Like the P2012, this aircraft is where business and regional aviation meet, with a shortage of regional aircraft types, hindering growth. Like the Traveller it has an ideal role serving essential air routes.

I see Bodensee Friedrichshafen Airport is attending Routes Europe in Rimini this May. Can I put in a pitch please for direct London-Friedrichshafen flights next summer. The plane, train, boat, bus and car journey is pleasant - especially with exceptional weather we were blessed with all week, but it is time consuming. And, many more taxis please, even car hire from Friedrichshafen.

AERO Friedrichshafen returns in 2027 during 14th to 17th April. The Dome and Hall 1, devoted to bizav, will run for three days out of the four.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 30th April 2026 | Issue #840