Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;student newspaper at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, serving as editor-in-chief before graduating with a bachelor's in aeronautical science. After a stint as managing editor at Professional Pilot&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;AIN in late 1998. Chad holds a commercial pilot certificated with instrument and multi-engine ratings, and he also is a CFI/CFII. He lives and works from his home in Venice, Florida.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Business aviation departures in Europe climbed 4.4 percent year-over-year last month and the total was just 0.4 percent shy of reaching peak levels seen in June 2008, according to data released today by Hamburg, Germany-based WingX Advance. Year-to-date growth stands at 2.7 percent versus a year ago, while the rolling 12-month average is up 3.3 percent, the company noted.

 


Activity across all the “big markets” increased year-over-year last month, with Italy up 4 percent; the UK, 5 percent; Germany and Spain, each 7 percent; and Switzerland, 9 percent. France saw only a modest gain, WingX said. Spain and Germany have the strongest growth trends year-to-date—each rising 5 percent—versus first-half 2017.

 


Strong gains were also seen in Ireland last month, which soared 11 percent from a year ago; Russia, 12 percent; Greece, 14 percent; and Portugal, 33 percent. Notably, Athens saw 22 percent growth in large-cabin jet flights last month, with similarly strong growth in this segment from Vienna and Ibiza.

 


Last month’s growth came mainly from intra-Europe flights, which rose 5 percent year-over-year. Exceptions were domestic France activity, which was flat, while flights between Germany and France fell about 10 percent. Meanwhile, flights from Europe to the Middle East and U.S. were down 9 percent and 1 percent, respectively, according to WingX.

 


Business aircraft departures from Paris Le Bourget jumped 14 percent and those from Farnborough, London Biggin Hill, Malaga, and Barcelona all saw growth of around 20 percent from a year ago.

 


“As anticipated, this summer is seeing strong growth in business aviation activity, with activity levels finally back where they were a decade ago,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. “Demand in Germany is providing much of the momentum, so too is the growth in flights to top Med resorts in Croatia, the Balearics, and Cote d´Azur, where the increase in long-range heavy jet activity is conspicuous.”

European Bizav Flying Flirts with 2008 Peak

Year-to-date growth stands at 2.7 percent versus a year ago, while the rolling 12-month average is up 3.3 percent.

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