The European business aviation market “is growing, after years of sluggishness,” Brandon Mitchener, the European Business Aviation Association’s new CEO told attendees here at the EBACE 2017 kickoff event yesterday. He pointedointing to a steady increase in flight activity for six straight months, as well as the industry’s “expanding range of new aircraft, state of the art new aircraft technologies, and new business models to meet new market demands” as signs of vitality.
EBACE serves as the showcase for this heightened activity, this year featuring more than 400 exhibitors and 60 aircraft on static display, as well as a full schedule of workshops and seminars. Meanwhile, Europe is becoming more receptive to business aviation, exemplified by recent approval for commercial single-engine turboprop operations and the new CS23 rule simplifying aircraft development and certification. “These things don’t just happen by themselves,” Mitchener said. “The EBAA works with regulators so they’re adopted in ways that make sense.”
The EBACE show is “much more than an opportunity to bring buyer and seller together,” according to NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, but also a place to address technical challenges and political change, and demonstate what the industry brings to the European and world economies. NBAA is co-sponsor of the EBACE show.
General aviation is known to be very innovative, said Nicholas Chabbert, chairman of the European General Aviation Manufacturers Association, adding that the industry “is not trying to break rules,” but instead intends to “make the best use of technology available” to make general aviation as safe as possible. 
"What we’ve been able to do in Europe has made this a bellwether year,” said Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, noting the time and effort put into achieving the recent progress. “The job doesn’t end,” he said, pointing to challenges regarding validations and EASA rules on aircraft completions and modifications that lie ahead.