Very Light Jets - Europe 2009
24-
25 September 2009- Oxford, UK
3rd Annual VLJ - Europe
Flying Light, Business Class - the future of entry level and light jet operations in Europe
As the Embraer Phenom 100 joins the Cessna Mustang in European operations the third VLJ-Europe summit will examine progress to date and a healthcheck for the VLJ. JetBird will be operating the Phenom, so as they launch this Autumn what can we expect from this aircraft and the Honda and Cirrus VLJs to follow. How will they stack up against the Mustang which has been in service with several operators for 12 months or more?
We've been told at previous VLJ-Europe conferences and at the International Air Taxi Convention (IATC) that its all about the customer so how will the new operators compare to existing air charter operators who already have a customer base.
How easy is it going to be for new operators to quickly establish themselves and secure customer loyalty during a major downturn in the economic cycle, and where are these customers going to come from if traditional charter users are under pressure to avoid conspicuous spending?
Additional obstacles are going to be placed in the path of the VLJ. We heard at VLJ-Europe 2008, from Eurocontrol and the EU, about various legislative and regulatory requirements for the VLJ. Will TCAS, air corridor, airport infrastructure, customs, security, MRO, pilot training and delivery hassles make life for the owner/operator too arduous or is all this a necessary step along the road to a vibrant and healthy VLJ sector.
The idea was raised at VLJ-Europe 2008 that VLJs should be built in Europe. However, Eclipse collapsed at the start of 2009 and has since re-emerged as Eclipse Aerospace but with more modest ambitions and VLJ deliveries and production has slowed across the board. What is the realistic outlook in Europe for light jets and the air taxi model?
We know the on demand, point to point model is attractive for the business traveller and makes sense in terms of executive time management but how will the lack of liquidity in developed markets impact on the use of air taxis and charters? Some corporates are now also looking at the VLJ as a realistic alternative to the big business jets, as balance sheet necessities suggest less is more.
The third annual VLJ-Europe conference is the essential meeting place for any operator, government agency, manufacturer, regulatory body, FBO organisation, support and service organisation or any company with an interest or awareness of the potential for this market.
For further details and an outline of topics on the agenda please contact:
adp@miuevents.com
