After beginning the week with a bout of cold rainy weather, blue skies returned yesterday to Shanghai, painting the ramp of the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre FBO at Hongqiao International Airport with welcoming warm sunshine. The 33 aircraft parked on the ramp glistened as visitors from China and around the world mingled with aircraft manufacturers and the 178 exhibitors inside the show pavilions and chalets.

First-time exhibitor Honda Aircraft saw its red HondaJet surrounded every day of the show, but visitors seemingly couldn’t get enough of everything on display, from Shanghai-based Oxai Aircraft’s M2 amphibian to helicopters and VIP bizliners from Airbus and Boeing.

Long-range jets remain the most desired business aircraft for Asia-Pacific buyers, and this is underscored by their growing business interests around the world, served by jets from companies such as Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream and Textron Aviation. The latter’s static display was also host to a customer’s Cessna 172 on amphibious floats, the first Skyhawk in China so equipped.

This year marks the sixth ABACE since the show started here in Shanghai, with the event all that time being jointly hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and Shanghai Airport Authority, in coordination with the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA).

“In the years since the first ABACE was held here in 2012, we have witnessed a continuing string of developments showing the support this industry has in the region,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “Clearly, in a number of ways, business aviation is evolving in Asia, just as ABACE has evolved into an Asian show.”