Flying to AERO yourself

The countdown to AERO 2025 is on, and the trade fair organization is working hard to prepare the leading global trade fair for General Aviation. Visitors to AERO 2025 can also come to the trade fair in their own aircraft, as the exhibition grounds are located directly at Friedrichshafen Airport. The new procedure for booking slots for AERO introduced last year has proven successful.

Those responsible for the AERO, the organizer fairnamic GmbH, Friedrichshafen Airport, air traffic control and the security authorities, have analyzed the new system for slot allocating. After last year’s premiere, the slot allocating will be flexible so that the free slots can be quickly reallocated. The number of slots available remains the same as in the previous year.

Those interested in an arrival and departure slot during the trade fair days (April 9th to April 12th) can register in advance via the online booking system from February 3rd, 2025. From March 5th, 2025, they will then be automatically informed in blocks by the booking system that they can now book and pay for the mandatory arrival and departure time slots for the trade fair period.

Thanks to the advance registration in the booking system, a fair distribution of the available slots is guaranteed. A user can change their data and slots via the system. As in previous years, the pilot package for arriving aircraft includes a free 1-day trade fair ticket.

When booking a slot, the crew will be charged a slot reservation fee. All other services, such as landing fees and parking fees, are invoiced after the show. All changes made by the pilot up until departure, that have an impact on the fee to be paid, are therefore billed once at the end and transparently.

Before departure, the pilots are asked for their license to be checked at the ‘crew tent’ as well as whether the passengers have been registered in advance. Passengers who are not accompanied by the pilot are denied access to the airport grounds. This is to ensure that no unauthorized person enters the airport area and that the authorities and the airport can track who is moving around the airport grounds. The tried and tested shuttle service from the ‘crew tent’ to their aircraft is once again available for pilots and their passengers. The shuttles must be used for safety and security reasons and allow a comfortable transfer to their aircraft.

Tobias Bretzel, AERO Show Director, commented: "We are pleased to be able to offer attendees to the 31st AERO the same number of slots as last year. The new slot booking process is customer-friendly and offers the greatest possible flexibility. We know that there are always more slot requests than offers, so we rely on the fairness of all those involved in returning any slots that are not needed."

The Segelfliegergruppe Markdorf e.V. is once again a partner of AERO, as it has been for years, and is making the Markdorf glider field available as an exhibition airfield. On the days of the exhibition, the airfield, located around 10 kilometers west of Friedrichshafen, can be flown to by ultralight aircraft (including trikes and gyrocopters) during operating hours. Piston aircraft and motor gliders are not permitted to land on the field! Approaching Markdorf is only possible with PPR. Registration must be made via the website www.SFG-Markdorf.de. Pilots must note that there is no customer service and no fuel available at Markdorf airfield.

Other airfields with shuttle services to the exhibition are the Regio-Airport Mengen (EDTM) and Leutkirch (EDNL) as well as Konstanz (EDTZ) via catamaran - here the exhibition offers special combination tickets. Also, the airfield of Biberach can be used as an alternative as it is well connected to the local train to Friedrichshafen Airport.