The Irish Business and General Aviation Association (IBGAA) is looking forward to welcoming over 140 industry delegates to its second annual conference on 1 November, 2023 when it returns to Adare Manor, Limerick in Ireland. Its unique formula, the combination of executive aviation and luxury tourism, in the most spectacular setting, returns with a topical agenda delivered by accomplished international and regional speakers.

Ireland's Minister of State for Transport, Environment, Climate and Communications Jack Chambers will deliver the opening keynote. He will be followed by Declan Fitzpatrick, chief executive of the Irish Aviation Authority, which is lending its support to the event.

Sustainability will be a prominent theme with principal sponsor Gulfstream's Charles Etter, staff scientist with responsibility for environmental strategy and regulatory affairs, chairing an early session on 'Navigating aviation's dynamic path to efficiency and sustainability'. He will be accompanied by Stewart D'Leon, director of environmental and technical operations at the NBAA; Alexander Kuper, vice president, EMEA of Neste and Nicola-Jane Sellers, group sustainability manager at Luxaviation Group.

IBGAA will evaluate on demand air charter, including ad hoc, pre-paid fractional and pre-paid jet cards, at a time when aircraft choice has never been so broad and when activity in mid-size cabins continues to grow. Doug Gollan, founding editor of Private Jet Comparisons, will lead a panel of experts that includes Julie Black, head of the UK-based executive charter team at Hunt & Palmer and deputy chair of The Air Charter Association; Andy Priester, chairman and CEO of Priester Aviation/Mayo Aviation; and Dan Cook, sales director of FlyVictor.

Jetcraft's Colin Dunne, in his newly appointed role as US sales director, will provide an in-depth update on how the industry is doing.

The one-day event will also highlight activity of other aviation associations. IBGAA welcomes Robert Baltus, COO of EBAA; Kevin Ducksbury, chair of The Air Charter Association; Doug Carr, senior vice president, safety, security, sustainability and international affairs of NBAA; Kurt Edwards, DG of IBAC; and special guest Ali Alnaqbi, founding chairman of MEBAA and chair of the IBAC governing board.

As innovation and technology abounds in business aviation, this event will address how the sector can learn from other peer groups in a panel session led by Corporate Jet Investor's Yves Marchand with Graham Williamson, president of ACASS. Technology entrepreneur and aviation technology consultant Diego Magrini leads a panel on AI and how it is impacting the industry.

IBGAA chair Josh Stewart will explore opportunities for business aviation in Ireland and why, as a world-renowned aircraft leasing epicentre, it is a smart choice for establishing a business. One case study is Alliance Group's Dave Scully, vice chairman, IBGAA and chief operating officer.

The 2022 IBGAA event was lauded by attendees last year as being among the best new additions to the aviation calendar. Testament to its success is the number of repeat sponsors secured. Among them are Gulfstream, Jetcraft, Jet Aviation, Global Jet Capital, Shannon Airport Group, ACASS, ARGUS International, Private Jet Media, Weston airport and JSSI. Newcomers include Rolls-Royce, Signature Flight Support, Aelia Assurances and Martyn Fiddler. In the luxury sector, By Appointment DMC, WP Exclusive Luxury and Failte Ireland complement business aviation names. Other sponsors are Alliance Group and Unifi, the new parent of Up and Away Aviation.

“We are delighted to be returning to Adare Manor to offer unsurpassed networking between business aviation and ultra-luxe tourism professionals. We will have plenty to talk about and learn from both sectors, and we look forward to aligning on business opportunities,” says IBGAA founding chairman Josh Stewart. “This is brilliant event to attend for senior decision makers in business aviation, with its audience of corporate jet operators, private aircraft owners, charter users from various sectors (MICE, sport and entertainment), tourism, airport and luxury hoteliers.”