Business aviation to receive increasing emphasis, says EC official

Geneva: Speaking at an EBACE session, European Commission director for air transport, Daniel Calleja, pledged more ''proportionate'' rules for business aviation in the future. He acknowledged that this segment of air transport has ''too often been neglected in the past.''

 He recognized the importance of general and business aviation, stating, ''Almost one-fifth of Eurocontrol aircraft movements and two-thirds of EASA type certificates are for general or business aviation.''

EBACE is a premier event and the annual meeting place for the European business aviation community. The exhibition brings together business leaders, government officials, manufacturers, corporate aviation department personnel and all manner of people involved in nearly all aspects of business aviation. EBACE is jointly hosted each year by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the leading association for business aviation in Europe, and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the leading voice for the business aviation industry in the United States.

The exhibition takes shape as a three-day event in Geneva.

According to Calleja, the EC thinks aviation needs ''better,'' as opposed to more, regulation. He promised the EC would make sure future safety regulations apply to business aircraft in a proportionate way.''

 ''The EC this year is launching key initiatives to make aviation more efficient, safer and environmentally sustainable,'' he said.

Another challenge, Calleja pointed out, concerns the international nature of the industry. ''We want a level playing field,'' he said, a sentiment echoed by NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.

''The U.S. requires a 10-day notice for business flights from Europe. Yet, when we [Americans] face similar requirements in emerging countries, we find it unacceptable,'' Bolen said. ''We need to get our house in order.''