The entries have started to come in for EBAN’s European FBO survey for 2002 – a very welcome sign.\r

There are however plenty more survey forms to be filled in and returned so don’t delay if you want to be included in our February listing. Alongside the survey, pilots will once again decide the placings for the highest rated FBOs and together with Boutsen Aviation, we’re also offering tickets to the 2002 Monaco Grand prix for one lucky pilot.

European FBO news has been in abundance this year, starting with the opening of the Atlantic Executive Aviation FBO, Coventry at the turn of the millennium. It was opened by Ford Europe Chairman Nick Scheele, who’s company is a regular visitor to the facility.

In March, Execair Brussels Charleroi – which at that point had only been open for eight months – reported that business had received a sudden boost since the partial slot system at Brussels Main dictated that general aviation movements had become more and more restricted there.

In April, BBA Aviation Europe approved the construction of a new hangar at London Luton which is expected to be completed by April of next year.

Once built, it will be large enough to accommodate BBJs, as will the company’s existing hangar which is being extended.

Also in April, Samson Jet Centre was busy refurbishing its Newcastle reception and briefing room while London Southend Airport was given a boost by the arrival of a Fordair BBJ.

Come May, PrivatAir had announced the development of a private terminal in Geneva and also that it was investing a further $US1.1 million in ground handling services at Paris le Bourget.

Also making the news was Scotland’s Comet Handling which, after its November 2000 purchase of a facility at Edinburgh Airport, was pumping money into the expansion of handling, catering and transport services.

July saw Ravenair and its subsidiary Liverpool Aviation Services (LAS) commence work on a business aviation centre at Liverpool Airport and in August, Regional Airports Ltd (RAL) – operator of both London Biggin Hill and London Southend – was awarded a contract to provide the ‘Premier Service’ passenger handling at RAF Northolt.

London City Airport decided to build the ‘Jet Center’ in September of this year, following a 252 per cent rise in corporate aviation since 1995; and Sion Airport in Switzerland was proud to play host to its first vip handling facility, courtesy of Alpine Jet Service.

After the attacks on the World Trade Center of September 11, the German airport and immigration authorities ruled that vips were no longer allowed to drive directly to their aircraft without going through FBO controls and in the UK, everything other than emergency flights over the city of London were temporarily banned.

In October, LEA Northern moved its operation from Sheffield to Leeds Bradford because of the more lucrative 24-hour availability of the latter airport and Metro Business Aviation and Swissport UK signed a cooperation agreement for the handling of executive, business and corporate aircraft at London’s Heathrow Airport.

And just last month, Menzies Aviation Group extended its operations to Ireland with the acquisition of Parc Aviation Handling Limited.

While EBAN generally receives a broad base of GA news from around Europe, UK FBOs (as is obvious from the above) are far better at announcing their developments than their European counterparts. Don’t let them have all the column inches – after all, the UK is only one cog in the European wheel.

Richard Evans, editor, richard.evans@gbjtv.com