“The time for a strong business aviation market in China has arrived,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, summing up a successful aviation conference and exhibition organised by Reed Exhibitions in Macau. The principal business jet manufacturers, suppliers, leasing and charter companies gathered during 9-11 June to showcase their latest products and services at Macau International Airport’s Business Aviation Centre – from the Cessna XLS+ and Hawker 700XP to the Embraer Lineage 1000, making its debut in Asia and…
“The time for a strong business aviation market in China has arrived,” said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet, summing up a successful aviation conference and exhibition organised by Reed Exhibitions in Macau. The principal business jet manufacturers, suppliers, leasing and charter companies gathered during 9-11 June to showcase their latest products and services at Macau International Airport’s Business Aviation Centre – from the Cessna XLS+ and Hawker 700XP to the Embraer Lineage 1000, making its debut in Asia and Gulfstream’s G550.
The quality of attendees, 40% coming from mainland China, including many high rollers drawn from the adjacent G2E gaming show running that same week, has encouraged Reed Exhibitions to make its Asian Business Aviation an annual fixture. The next event will coincide with Asian Aerospace 2011 in Hong Kong during March 8-10.
“China is a young and rapidly growing market. Conferences such as these really help us to highlight the greater comfort and space that Airbus corporate jets offer,” said David Velupillai, Product Marketing Director.
Gulfstream, which had a strong presence at the show, showing three aircraft out on the static, highlighted that Asia is a market that western manufacturers both expect and want to see grow. "If you look at our numbers last year, the US market for Gulfstream accounted for 2%; while Asia grew 15%," International Sales Vice President Roger Sperry said. "As the economy grows here, numbers will grow right along with it."
Executives at the one-day ABA conference, held at the luxury Venetian Hotel, and backed by the Asian Business Aviation Association, heard that there is vast room for growth across Asia. In the entire Asia Pacific region, there are about 600 business jets, about half of them in East Asia and fewer than 100 in greater China. By comparison, the US has 11,000 business jets in service, delegates heard.
And yet growth is being thwarted by the multiple landing permits that need to be obtained to fly across China, which makes aircraft chartering in the region so expensive, noted Joe Wilson, Managing Director of the ASA Group. China has challenging navigation regulations which require specialist 24/7 assistance to help prevent delays. However, delegates heard that significant progress is being made with investment in airport expansion, the loosening of restrictions on airspace, and importantly, a growing understanding of the private jet as a valued business tool.
“Business jets are the cars, airlines are buses,” summed up Robert B. Hollander, Citation Sales Director, Asia/Pacific, flagging up the argument that with a business jet you follow your own schedule, can reach many more destinations direct – including small airports or airports that are poorly served by airlines.
A bullish Asian Business Aviation Association (ABAA) chairman Chuck Woods commented Asia is not ‘a market.’ Rather it is 20 markets. Even China can be considered as "seven markets". Yet China is very much on everybody’s radar."
Growing ownership of business jets, largely by private individuals in China, has also led to more opportunities for aircraft management companies such as Hong Kong’s Asia Jet and Macau’s Jet Asia.
Delegates in Macau heard it is important to entrust a business jet to a reputable company with experienced personnel, full accreditations and maintenance compliance. If you charter and fly around 350 hours a year that is really the magic number when it does make sense to buy your own jet, attendees heard.
Reed Exhibitions confirmed it was delighted with the success of ABA Macau. “It exceeded our expectations and forecasts for this launch event. The event also confirms we are on the right course to deliver on our strategy of one event per year in Asia dedicated to business aviation,” said Richard Thiele, Head of Global Sales Aerospace & Aviation, International Sales Group. “ABA Macau set the stage nicely as a platform to build our already established ABA event which is co located with Asian Aerospace in Hong Kong during 8-10 March, 2011,” he concluded.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
