General Aviation lifts off

On the eve of the AERO aviation trade show in Friedrichshafen (April 8-11 2010), representatives from various sectors of General Aviation met to discuss the current state of the industry. At the meeting, Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann proudly announced that 497 exhibitors will be participating in this year’s AERO. He also pointed out that the portion of non-German exhibitors has increased even further in relation to previous shows. Indeed, 45 percent of this year’s exhibitors will be from abroad, the largest share of which being companies from the United States, followed by those from the Czech Republic, France and Italy. “General Aviation has found its platform here, and we aim to strengthen our leading position in Europe even further,” emphasized Wellmann.

Peter Pletschacher, president of the Deutscher Luftfahrtpresseclub, Germany’s aviation press club, underlined the importance of General Aviation: “It includes everything outside commercial and military aviation, such as ultralight aircraft, gliders, hang gliders, paragliders, single and twin-engine propeller aircraft, as well as business jets and helicopters.” There are approximately 370,000 General Aviation aircraft worldwide, and roughly one million GA pilots. Pletschacher emphasized that “amateur pilot” is an inappropriate term, since, just like automobiles, GA aircraft are used for business as well as private purposes.

Craig Fuller, president of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), was on hand representing the interests of aircraft owners and pilots. The council was founded in the United States in 1939. According to Fuller, it now has branches performing the same role in 68 countries around the world, 33 of which being European. The council is committed to the preservation of airports, and supports pilots in their cause against over-regulation and excessive restrictions.
Dr. Michael Erb, managing director of Germany’s Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), focused on the importance of General Aviation as an economic force. In Europe alone, there are 200,000 GA pilots and 50,000 GA aircraft. Erb further noted that General Aviation is a leader in certain technological areas, such as the use of composites in aircraft construction. He continued, however, to explain that many German airports were under increasing pressure due to noise complaints from those living and working in their vicinity. “Our industry has enormous potential – and the highlight for us will continue to be the AERO trade show.”

Dr. Wolfgang Scholze, environmental officer of the Deutscher Aero Club (DAeC), pointed out that aviation and environmental protection were not a contradiction in terms. The DAeC, which represents the interests of everything from hang gliding and model gliding to recreational parachuting, gliding, ultralight and motorized aviation, has 100,000 members in Germany. For the past 14 years, “cooperation, not confrontation” has been its modus operandi. In recent years, there has been growing recognition that airports actually serve as a habitat for many species that would otherwise be threatened with extinction. In addition, the DAeC offers environmental management assistance to the pilot associations. Similarly, it provides every flying school in Germany with a dossier titled ‘Natural Conservation for Pilots,’ which offers aviation students tips about how to fly in an environmentally friendly manner.

Calin Gologan, managing director of PC-Aero, presented at AERO the concept for his company’s new electric aircraft, the Elektra One. The aircraft is intended to make flying times in excess of three hours a reality. The Elektra One is a light one-seater aircraft that weighs merely 90 kg, without batteries. It will further distinguish itself with low noise emissions due to its electric power plant and low operating costs.