Asian Business Aviation and Asian Aerospace prove to be unique and unbeatable combination | Press Release

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Press Release

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March 16, 2011

Asian Business Aviation and Asian Aerospace prove to be unique and unbeatable combination

There was a buzz around the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre last week, as some 5,300 delegates visited the dedicated static line of 22 business aircraft, hospitality chalets and stands at Asian Business Aviation, an integral part of Asian Aerospace 2011. Visitor numbers included several Chinese billionaires who came to view and experience first hand the latest business jets on display.

Business aircraft participants including Airbus, AsiaJet, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Gulfstream, Hawker Beechcraft, Metrojet and TAG Asia all reported a high quality of visitor traffic at their aircraft, hospitality chalets and stands. Among the business aviation debutantes out on the static were the Beechcraft King Air 350, Boeing BBJ, Cessna Citation XLS Plus and Sovereign, Hawker 900XP and Pilatus PC-12. Business aircraft manufacturers praised the decision by organiser Reed Exhibitions to move the event to March, with the climate more amenable to visitors inspecting aircraft on the ramp.

At the two-day Asian Business Aviation conference delegates talked enthusiastically about the lifting of regulations in China that will aid the industry's expansion, new airports being built, new infrastructure and MRO facilities, the need for more pilots and training and the requirement to educate on the benefits of private charter. Speakers including Metrojet's Bjorn Naf highlighted the importance of choosing a reputable management company as the majority of business jets in China are owned by private individuals - winning trust from those owners, families and clients you fly 24/7, 365 days a year. Compared with the 11,000 registered business jets in the USA, there are just 116 in China, but delegates at the conference heard that figure will increase 30% by year-end.

On the opening day of the show, Hainan Airline Group announced an order for five Gulfstream G450/G550 aircraft and five Dassault Falcon 7Xs for business jet subsidiary Deer Jet, together with an order for two VIP configured Boeing 787s for its Hong Kong Airlines subsidiary. In Asia, airlines are buying business jets; a new industry trend which further reinforces the benefits of co-locating two industry leading events and helped drive record attendance for both.

Asian Aerospace will return to Hong Kong on March 19th-21st March, 2013, whilst the next Asian Business Aviation show will take place in Macau on 24th -25th May, 2012, co-located with G2E Asia, the world's largest international gaming exhibition.