EBACE Sees Enhanced Focus on 2050 Goals

The European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE 2024), which was organized jointly by the Brussels-based European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and Washington, D.C.-based National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), took place at Geneva Airport (LSGG), Switzerland, May 27 to 30, 2024. The organizers said there were more than 11,000 visitors and some 300 exhibitors, with around 50 aircraft on the static display outside - a short bus ride from the PalExpo exhibition hall.

With Gulfstream and Bombardier not attending it was up to the other business aircraft OEMs – such as Textron, Airbus, Boeing, Pilatus, Tecnam and others – to hold the fort, along with numerous other exhibitors from every corner of the business aviation world.

FBOs, MROs, aircraft registries, fuel providers, avionics and engine manufacturers and flight planners - they were all there. The static didn’t disappoint either and the weather behaved, meaning visitors didn’t get roasted or drenched when ‘walking the line’.

Strangely it didn’t seem to matter that Gulfstream and Bombardier weren’t at EBACE this year. That it didn’t seem to matter could be down to the ‘new theme’ in the industry – sustainability. While the two absent OEMs are no doubt working hard on their environmental credentials, the show had many features relating to sustainable aviation - including a full-sized Lilium electric aircraft mock-up that greeted visitors as they entered PalExpo.

Ecowarrior Security

First, you had to negotiate an upgraded bag search area (with a remove-your-laptop baggage scanner) and show your ID against the show pass which now includes a picture. These enhanced measures have resulted from environmental protesters causing havoc during last year’s event, along with wider security concerns given Europe has two wars being waged in the wider region – Ukraine and Israel/Gaza – and a terrorist threat that is ever-present.

Just beyond Lilium to the left was Beyond Aero promoting the idea of a hydrogen-powered business jet, and Hydroplane with its hydrogen fuel-cell power train – and further into the hall could be found the likes of VoltAero, whose proof-of-concept hybrid Cassio S was on the static display outside. To the right on entering was a stage for all the Sustainability Summit presentations that would form a backdrop to the show, which ran for three days.

Compared to pre-Covid EBACE shows there seemed to be very little ‘big news’. No big announcements of new aircraft models or mega orders. Perhaps they’re being saved for NBAA-BACE (still the world’s leading business aviation show by a long way). That will take place is Las Vegas, October 22-24).

Keynote: Towards Sustainability

The EBACE keynote session featured Dr. Bertrand Piccard, chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation, who is planning a round-the-world flight powered by hydrogen in 2028 (to follow on from his solar circumnavigation in 2016).

He stressed that while being a step forward in technology, the new aircraft would also send a message: “This plane is about showing that activism against aviation is the wrong way; we need to show what can be done, even if people think it is impossible. Today the dream [must] be to fly cleaner. The next pioneers of aviation will be the ones who show the way.”

NBAA president & CEO Ed Bolen said business aviation was “Climbing. Fast,” as “invention, collaboration, freedom of movement, and the drive to sustainability soar ever higher.” The ‘Climbing. Fast’ reference was to the NBAA advocacy initiative which centers on showcasing “the sector’s commitment to economic opportunity, sustainability, and innovation.”

During this year’s EBACE, EBAA committed to participate in a transatlantic partnership, through formal membership of the ‘Climbing. Fast’ initiative, to champion the industry’s leadership with policymakers on sustainability and other key issues.

In NBAA’s words, ‘Climbing. Fast’ is “a multi-media advocacy initiative that educates policymakers and opinion leaders about business aviation’s many societal benefits, including the industry’s essential role in supporting jobs and economic activity, connecting communities, helping businesses to succeed, providing humanitarian lift, and leading the way in aviation sustainability through innovation - on the ground and in the air.”

Bolen introduced new EBAA secretary-general Holger Krahmer, a former Member of the European Parliament and Brussels industry-communicator who started in his new role only five months before the show.

“Safeguarding a competitive and fair European single market for business aviation operators is essential,” Krahmer said. “There is hope for a more business-friendly environment, but we must remain vigilant. Our role in business aviation is more crucial than ever before.”

S.T.A.R.S. Attraction

At EBACE this year, EBAA also formally launched S.T.A.R.S. – The Standards & Training for Aviation Responsibility and Sustainability, a scheme it has been developing for five years. S.T.A.R.S. offers “a holistic framework for organizations to develop and integrate environmental and social strategies seamlessly,” said the association, which highlighted that S.T.A.R.S. is aligned with both the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change (BACCC) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Krahmer stated: “EBAA launched S.T.A.R.S. to demonstrate that business aviation is not just committed to sustainability but aims to lead in this process through concrete and measurable actions. With S.T.A.R.S., EBAA aims to position business aviation as a leader in achieving net zero emission by 2050.”

Following the launch at EBACE 2024, EBAA members have been able to join Tier 1 of S.T.A.R.S., requiring them to undertake self-measurement before writing a policy for continuous progress towards environmental and social sustainability goals.

EBAA suggested that “policies should address areas such as greenhouse gas emissions reporting, waste and water usage, non-discrimination, inclusiveness, a new code of conduct, and data privacy and security.

Tier 2 and 3 will be implementation stages, “modeled to be compliant with global international standards.” According to EBAA, S.T.A.R.S. also serves as a complement to the NBAA’s Sustainable Flight Department Accreditation Program. For further information, See https://bizavstars.org.

Newsmakers’ Luncheon

Also at EBACE, there was a ‘Newsmakers Luncheon’ with executives from Airbus Corporate Jets, Boeing Business Jets, Dassault Aviation, Embraer Executive Jets and Textron Aviation participating. Their discussion focused on business aviation’s “unified commitment” to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

On the training front, delegates from some of Europe’s leading business aviation companies joined with technical students “to focus on forging connections between tomorrow’s talent and today’s industry mentors.”

It’s How You Fly that Matters Too

Yet another session saw government leaders taking to the EBACE keynote stage to detail “the industry’s importance as an essential sector and effective partner to policymakers in the region.” The participants included John Santurbano, director of the Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre for Eurocontrol, who previewed strategies to lower emissions with more efficient routing through airspace. Also taking part was Delphine Bachmann, Geneva state councilor in charge of the Department of Economy & Labour.

“In the future, we should not ask if we will fly, but how we will fly,” stressed Santurbano. “That’s why we should adapt and reach carbon-free goals by 2050.” He also spoke about efficiency improvements offered by vertical flight, including reducing carbon emissions, along with efforts to mitigate the effects of aircraft contrails. He suggested the formula for success was (simply!), “to cooperate, to innovate, to put a lot of money in, to have the right people, to have the right regulation, and to have trust and courage.”

OEM CEOs: Committed to Net Zero

In a session billed as ‘Aircraft CEOs Look to the Low-Emissions Bizjets of the Future’), bizav leaded discussed what the future holds for the sector and what the keys could be to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The panelists said that the most important tools for reaching net zero would be a mix of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), new low-emission propulsion systems, improved aircraft designs and manufacturing processes and – most of all – collaboration.

“There’s not a single company that can take this challenge by itself,” said Chado Saade, president of Airbus Corporate Jets. “So, it’s a question of collaboration; it’s a question of an ecosystem, working with partners from all around the industry, including airports, energy producers, engine manufacturers and so on. We need this collaboration for the industry to work together to reach this target.”

Subsidized SAF?

Panelists also called for concerted action to persuade governments to incentivize the update of SAF, through subsidies on the supply side as well as on the demand side. Embraer Executive Jets president & CEO Michael Amalfitano said OEMs would develop new low-emissions platforms with hybrid-electric propulsion systems, but this would lead on to “the ultimate solution” – hydrogen.

“That will get us to the 2050 goal of net zero. It’s the combination of SAF and technological advancements that are happening at the OEM level – and putting that together as a fuel solution.

Textron Aviation CEO Ron Draper said aircraft were already 40% more efficient than they were a few decades ago, and every new aircraft model improves this a little more. With greater emphasis on innovative new technologies, this is accelerating, he said. “The amount of investment …[in] small electric aircraft and advanced air mobility, all the way up to larger aircraft with hydrogen power, is going to accelerate this change.”

Boeing Business Jets president Joe Benson said Boeing had been chosen by NASA to lead the sustainable flight demonstrator project, which is specifically designed to support 2050 net-zero goals. “We could see up to 30% gains in fuel efficiency. So, when you start talking about an industry where a 1-to-2 percent gain in efficiency is very impactful and meaningful, something like 30% is amazing.” He added that Boeing expects ground testing and flight testing of the demonstrator to start in 2028.

Carlo Brana, executive v-p with French manufacturer Dassault, said: “What is really interesting for me is that we have created a problem and we have found solutions. It makes me very optimistic” – as he presented Dassault’s roadmap for moving towards Net Zero.

EBACE Plays a Crucial Industry Role

Following the show, EBAA’s Holger Krahmer stated: “EBACE 2024 made clear that business aviation is spearheading a surge of innovation that will drive economic growth and enable a future of net-zero flight. Our industry is a testbed for new technologies and remains crucial for connecting people.”

Endorsing this view, chair of the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), Phil Winters (vice president aircraft sales and charter management for Greenwich AeroGroup and Western Aircraft Inc.), said EBACE was “the place to be if you are buying and selling airplanes internationally.” IADA brought a 50-member delegation to the show, and several aircraft being sold by IADA members were on the static display.

“This year’s EBACE, my first, has been phenomenal,” said Krahmer. “The energy, progress, and dedication we’ve seen here highlight the excellence of business aviation, and the immense value our industry brings to Europe. From fostering economic growth, to connecting communities, business aviation is indispensable.”

In conclusion, EBACE remains a key event in the business aviation calendar. This year’s event had a different feel – despite enhanced security measures, once in the show it followed the trend of recent shows of feeling increasingly cosmopolitan and inclusive. Carpets of varying colors and more people being smart-casual, some quite colorful, and even casual, felt a long way from the pre-Covid days of mainly gray suits and a few polo shirts. Perhaps it’s the eVTOL crowd – younger and more energetic, that’s injected this change along with the Covid ‘work from home’ culture of flexibility that many now enjoy.

Certainly, things seem to be getting better in business aviation even if progress towards Net Zero is very gradual. The industry has to work hard if it is to see a growing fleet, a growth trajectory, while also meeting its 2050 Net Zero goal. And it can’t do without SAF to plug the gap, unless someone invents an anti-gravity drive.

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