When European Business Air News was first published some 21 years ago, it immediately established itself as the leading magazine for business aviation in Europe - a reputation which we have worked to maintain to the present day.

Front page news back in 1989 was the announcement by Cessna of the CitationJet while Dassault had revealed its plans for the Falcon 2000. Our advertisers included Memrykord, which was beginning to computerise flight planning, and Beechcraft Vertrieb & Service GmbH, still one of Europe's leading aircraft distributors.

In the first editorial, I reflected on the huge business aviation industry in the USA, and the early signs of similar activity in Europe. "But here the real boom is yet to come," we predicted, in a rare moment of insight. But in all honesty we could scarcely have anticipated the exciting roller-coaster ride that lay ahead.

Within two years we were pioneering the first dedicated business aviation exhibition east of the Atlantic, going on to hold seven EBAS shows in four countries.

We stepped up from six issues per year to eleven, and developed the spin-off Handbook of Business Aviation in Europe, which now has a major web presence as well as Asia Pacific and Global sister publications. And most recently we have established an online EBAN edition which has the potential to massively expand the magazine's readership in the coming years.

A host of journalists, sales, admin and production people have worked hard to build up European Business Air News, and I hope that none feel slighted by omission as I mention just a few familiar names: Gary Palin gave welcome early advice; the indefatigable Yvonne Miles led the sales charge during EBAN's early years and for the first European Business Air Show at London Stansted; Bernie Williams helped to lay the foundations of our aircraft ownership database system, which has blossomed into so much more; John Lilley was the first to lift some editorial weight from my shoulders; Hilary Tyler has been ever-present to keep order in the melee; and Mark Ranger has become the commercial face of EBAN to a whole industry.

Thanks to you all. But mostly, my thanks go to all of our readers and advertisers over the years. Without your participation, confidence and support none of this would have been possible.

David Wright Founding & Managing Editor

We have put a copy of the very first EBAN onto the web site for your nostalgic viewing pleasure. Just visit www.ebanmagazine.com.