The Russian Business Aviation Exposition (RUBAE 2018) opened on September 12 at Moscow Vnukovo Airport’s business aviation center, also known as Vnukovo-3 FBO. Previously known as JetExpo, the event, which attracted approximately 60 exhibitors and 20 aircraft on static display, focused on flight safety, air traffic management, market research and analysis, and other issues of interest.
The ongoing transformation of the show, now organized in part by the Russian United Business Aviation Association (RUBAA) with participation from VIPPORT, is rumored to reflect the recent changes in RUBAA leadership. Earlier this year, Valery Ochirov stepped down as the association’s head (he is now honorary president). The newly elected president promises to “pour some fresh air in,” even if it might require “some strong wind to push the tide,” he told AIN in a brief interview on the show's opening day. RUBAA will eventually take over show organization completely.
Apart from the name change, little has been altered. Alexander Neradko, head of Russia's civil aviation authority; Vasily Aleksandrov, Vnukovo airport general director; and Georgy Sharov, at the helm of Vnukovo-3 FBO opened the show as they have in years past. The indoor exhibit space remained unchanged—a 5,000-sq-m hangar at Vnukovo-3 FBO—with the adjacent static space on the FBO's apron.
Key exhibitors also remained the same, with the five largest stands again taken by Dassault Aviation, Leonardo Helicopters, Gulfstream Aerospace, Embraer Executive Jets, and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Each of these OEMs' booths was several times larger than the biggest occupied by a local company, in this case RusAero.
Organizers claim a 20 percent increase in the number of exhibitors compared to JetExpo 2017, but experienced visitors who attended previous events said they did not see evidence to prove that claim. In fact, these attendees said the show has noticeably contracted since 2013/2014, when the Russian business aviation passed the highest point in its history. The most visible change has been a twofold reduction in the number of aircraft on display.
Among the 20 aircraft on display this year included two turboprops (Piaggio Avanti II and Beechcraft King Air 350i), a helicopter (Leonardo A139) and two bizliners (Sukhoi Superjet 100VIP and Sukhoi Business Jet). The rest were business jets such as Gulfstream G650, Bombardier Global 5000, and Falcon 8X.
