Business aviation in the ascent at AERO Friedrichshafen 2026

The 32nd Edition of AERO Friedrichshafen welcomes its biggest business aviation presence ever when it opens its doors on April 22nd for four days. Exhibitors include business aviation associations from Asia (AsBAA), Germany (GBAA) and Austria (AABA) and an emerging Middle East contingent, including representatives of MEBAA. Out on the static and in the halls, 50 showcased aircraft are business models – fixed wing and helicopters – versus a 30-strong line up last year.  Highlights include debutantes from Textron – its new, mid-size Citation Ascend stopping off on its European tour, the super mid-size Longitude and Dassault’s Falcon 6X and Bombardier’s Global 6500. Turboprop headliners include Daher’s brand new TBM 980, the latest Kodiak 900 and a welcome of return the Piaggio P.180 Avanti Evo. Cirrus will show its latest Series 3 Vision Jet.

Showing for the first time, under new Diamond Aircraft ownership, in the Innovation Area, (Hall A7) is Volocopter and its new VoloXPro, the personal ultralight vertical mobility solution. Diamond is also marking three world aircraft premieres on its main stand in Hall A4. Another newcomer is Germany’s ultra-light EvoCopter ClassiX, helicopter.

Tobias Bretzel, Show Director, AERO Friedrichshafen commented: “We took a bold decision to widen out our business aviation element buoyed by the success of the Business Aviation Showcase Hub last year. We created more space on the static and had sold all slots by the end of March. We have doubled the exhibitor numbers in the Dome and opened a new Hall (A1) to accommodate mainly new exhibitors, which this year include JetEx, ViaSat, UAS, Hadid, Flight Safety International, CAE (which is coming with a Diamond 42) and Web Manuals. 

Other new collaborations see the arrival of IADA with a member pavilion and a new pre-owned aircraft line up in co-operation with GlobalAir.com.  Prospective buyers are invited to use a special VIP entrance situated in the north part of the Dome. They can also apply for a landing slot if seeking to fly in and out.  

The Air Charter Association brings European Regional Forum to AERO

Another newly ratified collaboration, to be further widened out in 2027, is with The Air Charter Association, which introduces its European Regional Forum 2026 at AERO. The ACA will moderate three panel sessions from 1400hrs to 1630hrs during 22nd April starting with What does the air charter industry do? It will explore the broad scope of the charter industry from relief flights, medevac to sports and music tours.  Moderated by The ACA CEO Glenn Hogben, speakers are: Oliver Smith, Head of Sales and Business Development, SaxonAir; Aaron Stein, Global Director of Operations, Victor; Rasmus Bank, Chief Sales Officer, JoinJet and John Hewett, Global VP, Universal Aviation.  

Avoiding illegal aircraft charter  will explore how regulations vary in different territories and what can be done to avoid risk. The subject will be tackled by Adam Neaves, Head of Charter, Gama Aviation and Adelaide Rispoli, Sales Manager, St Barth Executive, with Dave Connor, Chief Executive, RVL Aviation/ACA Board Member.

Understanding the role and value of the Air Charter Broker will be debated by David Stocks, Director, Private Jets (DE) Air Charter Service; Sam Heather, Managing Director, 26Aviation and Tomas Camprubi, Managing Director (UK), LunaJets, chaired by Julie Black, Head of Business Aviation, Hunt & Palmer/Board Member of The ACA.

Newcomers interested in becoming a charter broker are invited to participate in a one-day The Air Charter Essentials Certificate on 21 April, a timely segue to combine initial training with the exhibition the following day. No prior knowledge of air charter is required. 

Corporate Jet Investor is introducing two panels on April 23. How to buy pre-owned aircraft without headaches, moderated by CJI’s Yves Marchand, with Meghan Dwyer, Sales Director, Europe, Guardian Jet LLC; Olivier Knutti, Managing Director, 88K; Warren Lovell, VP Aircraft Sales Europe and Africa, Leviate Air Group and Steve Varsano, CEO, The Jet Business. The second panel dives into aircraft ownership with Algernon Trotter, CEO, LUMINAIR; Dr Oliver Kosing, Aero-Dienst, Managing Director and Damir Spojaric, CEO, Alpha Aviation.

Media partner AIN Media Group’s Managing Editor Charles Alcock will moderate two panels. Challenges in the global business aviation industry on 23rd April is scheduled for 1230hrs with Steffen Merz, Board Member, German Business Aviation Association (GBAA); Antonia Gilbert, President, Austrian Business Aviation Association (ABAA); Penny Lim, CEO, Southeast Asia, Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) and Carsten Nesemann, Attorney & Expert on Aviation Taxation and Tariffs. The second, at 1430hrs, titled The Bottlenecks in business aviation will be addressed by David Bergold, CEO, LUMINAIR; Ieva Trotter, CFO, Platoon Aviation; Mohammad Osta, Commercial Director, HADID) and Maxim Ivanov, OCC Manager, FCG OPS.

Another new feature this year will be the Women in Aviation International brunch from 1000hrs on 23 April with WAI CEO Lynda Coffman and special guest speaker, Dr Susan Ying, CEO, EM-power and Board member, Noemi Aerospace. On April 22nd at 11 am the newly created TAB (Technology Aviation Business) will announce ‘A New Chapter for Aviation Technology’ on the Dome stage.  As of 16 April, AERO Friedrichshafen had signed more than 850 exhibitors from 50 countries. 

Business aircraft line up  

88K – PC-12; Air Alliance PC-24; Pilatus PC-12 NGX, Pilatus PC-12; Air Alliance GmbH Pilatus PC-24 & PC-12 PRO; Air Independence PC-12; Airstream, a.s. Beechcraft King Air; Air X, Challenger 850; AMC Aviation, Learjet 60XR; Augsburg Air Service GmbH, King Air, Embraer Phenom 100E; BHS Aviation GmbH; Citation Latitude - 680A, AW109 SP; Bombardier, Challenger 6500; Business Jet Aviation TR GmbH, Phenom 100; Cirrus Aircraft, Vision Jet Series 3; Cirrus SF50, Vision Jet; DAS Private Jets GmbH, Embraer Phenom 300E; Dassault Aviation Falcon 6X; FAI Aviation Group Learjet 60XR; Haute Aviation, Bell 407; HTM Helicopter Travel Munich Airbus EC135; Jetron, King Air C90; MT-Propeller Entwicklung GmbH, Piper Meridian;  Piaggio Aerospace P.180 Avanti EVO; Piper Aircraft, Inc. Piper M700, Piper M500, Piper PA 28 Archer DX; Platoon Aviation; Pilatus PC-24; Rheinland Air Service DAHER TBM 980, HondaJet Elite II, Kodiak 900; Bell 407, Bell 505 Jet Ranger X; Silesia Air s.r.o. Beech King Air 260; Tecnam P2012 Traveller; Textron Aviation King Air 260, Caravan EX, Virus, Cessna 206, Citation Ascend, Citation M2 Gen2, Citation Longitude; Cessna T182, Cessna 172; Volare Aviation: Bombardier Global 5000; EC155; Wipaire; Cessna 172.