Business aviation is now a global business but it is being held back by the lack of a global regulatory structure, according to leading industry lobbyist speaking on the eve of this week’s EBACE show. At a press conference here in Geneva yesterday, industry associations from both sides of the Atlantic praised the new Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the U.S. and Europe, but indicated that it needs strong backing to be meaningful, and should now be extended with similar agreements in key emerging markets for business aviation.
Pete Bunce, chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) in the U.S., expressed concerns about the implementation of BASA. He said that the alliance is vital to the business aviation industry and will have far-reaching influence. “It took three years of political dickering to come to an agreement,” he said. “We are not into the goal area, rather just off the starting blocks.”
