ASD: agenda for General and Business aviation in Europe. ASD General Aviation Manufacturers Group (EGAMA) welcomes the adoption by the European Commission of an agenda for General and Business aviation in Europe. For the first time ever since the creation of the EU internal aviation market, the European Commission has studied this sector, quantified its value and identified the challenges that it is facing.

The Commission proposes to integrate general and business aviation into the EU air transport policy. Improving data gathering, screening of legislation – to ensure proportionality – and integrating general and business aviation into the capacity optimisation initiatives are the main elements of this agenda. “I warmly welcome the Commission’s communication on general and business aviation, which highlights the socio-economic benefits provided by our industry and recognises its specificities compared to the wider aviation industry”, said Olivier Villa, EGAMA chairman. “This is a clear recognition of our sector and a first step in the right direction. EGAMA is fully ready to play an active part in ensuring a better integration of General and Business Aviation in the European air transport system”.

General and Business aviation offers closely tailored, flexible, door-to-door transportation for individuals, enterprises and local communities. These are supplementary services allowing providers to reach destinations that the airlines can not serve because of operational restrictions or do not serve due to economic considerations.

Moreover, general and business aviation provides high value services to the general public, including environmental surveillance, fire-fighting, map charting and emergency medical transportation.

European General and Business aviation industry is breaking out into the world markets in an unprecedented way. In Europe alone, it is estimated there are between 30,000 and 50,000 general aviation aircraft in use. Business aviation is also growing twice as fast as the traditional commercial airline sector.

EGAMA, which was inaugurated on 22 May 2007 at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition in Geneva, aims at fostering common coordinated industrial views on strategic areas of interest such as airworthiness, safety, environment, air traffic management, security and R&T.

The EGAMA membership consists of industry representatives ranging from complex business jets to helicopters and small leisure aircraft, as well as their supply chain.

Contact:

ASD,
AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe,
Brussels, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 775 81 10
Fax: +32 2 775 81 11
info@asd-europe.org
www.asd-europe.org