Putting on a business aircraft conference or exhibition is incredibly hard, and launching a new show is probably 10 times harder. But people like meeting face to face—after all, that’s why business aviation exists. And while it seems like there are way too many aviation events, there was a niche that wasn’t being filled: a business aviation show to replace ABACE, which was held in Shanghai and ended its run in 2019 after Covid shut the world down in 2020.

I’m on my way back to the U.S. on a long United Airlines flight after spending three days at the new Business Aviation Asia Forum & Expo (BAAFEx) in Singapore. Even though it was a relatively small show with a three-airplane static display, it exceeded my expectations. I think it’s well on the way to replacing ABACE in a location that is business-friendly and easily reachable for visitors from Asia-Pacific and Southeast Asia. 

Launched by Experia Events, which also runs the biennial Singapore Airshow, BAAFEx will take place in opposite years, so the next one is planned for April 6 to 8, 2027. 

About 50 exhibiting companies and organizations took the plunge into BAAFEx, and everyone that I spoke to at the show was enthusiastic about this first effort and plans to come back. Those who were walking the show and not exhibiting indicated that their companies will likely have a booth at the 2027 edition. Hopefully, this also means the static display will be larger next time.

The three aircraft on static display included a VistaJet Bombardier Global 7500, an Amber Aviation Gulfstream G450 highlighting the company’s AmberNet fractional leasing program, and a Falcon 8X that Dassault displayed—the only OEM to bring an airplane. To be fair, Boeing Business Jets had a large exhibit booth but apparently wasn’t able to arrange for a customer BBJ to bring to the static display.

Even though BAAFEx wasn’t such a large show, it did attract more than 2,500 visitors, according to Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events. The exhibit booths were well arranged in a portion of the Changi Exhibition Centre, with an adjacent conference section that attracted standing-room-only crowds to the three days’ worth of safety and industry sessions.

People often complain when all the exhibit booths aren’t clearly dedicated to aviation, but the champagne bar in the middle of the floor wasn’t exactly ignored by the crowds, and the daily snacks and lunch bites section was also a crowd-pleaser. The many journalists invited to the event appreciated the daily hot food buffet in the media center.

It was also encouraging to see so many Asia-based charter management companies represented at the show. Business aviation is an important aviation segment in Asia, and these companies, which don’t get much attention compared to their Western counterparts, are busy building highly advanced charter, maintenance, and FBO businesses in Asia.

One aspect that made BAAFEx enjoyable and will be a key feature at future events is that the static display was right outside the hall, literally a 10-second walk with no onerous security procedures. Static displays at business aviation events are critical; people love to see aircraft, and they don’t want to have to drive to an airport or go through two security screenings—one to get into the show and another to get to the ramp.

It was abundantly clear that Experia Events is quite expert at running shows. There was nothing that felt last-minute or slapped together at BAAFEx. The exhibit floor design and amenities were top-notch, professional, and conducive to doing business and making new friends.

“The feedback we’ve gotten from exhibitors and trade visitors is more than encouraging,” Leck said. “This is the show they’ve been looking for to fill the gap [left by ABACE].” Every exhibitor told him that they will be back, and aircraft OEMs that weren’t there this time are planning to exhibit in 2027.

“We have to balance the scale, size, and confidence that it gives to the exhibitors,” he said. “The key is not about scale and size but how meticulous is the event organized in terms of putting the show together and the user experience, be it visitors or exhibitors.

“Whether it is a medium or large show, for us at Experia we take organizing events very seriously. The key is the end-user experience and making sure it’s a good one for all attendees.”

For the next edition of BAAFEx, Experia will focus on growing the show to get more representation from Asia business aviation players, more aircraft on the static display, and further improving the user experience. “The focus is on creating a platform for the business aviation community to talk about issues and chart the way forward,” Leck concluded.