Marking its 42nd year, the UK British General Aviation Association will welcome over 140 delegates at their annual conference this week, 10th March. The theme for this year’s event, taking place at Selsdon Park Hotel, South Croydon, is “Partnerships” and CEO Marc Bailey will highlight the importance of working with established industry organisations, including AOPA and BATA these past 12 months. Keynote speaker Paul Kehoe, CEO of Birmingham Airport will discuss the benefits of business aviation to a major hub and emphasise the value of regional airports in the wider airport infrastructure.
He will be preceded by welcome addresses from BBGA Patron HRH Prince Michael of Kent and BBGA Chairman Marwan Khalek, CEO of Gama Aviation. This year’s conference will include presentations and addresses from Dame Deidre Hutton, Chairman, UK CAA; DfT’s Head of International Capacity Development Thomson Hunter; Brian Humphries, President, EBAA and a panel from UK Border Force led by Mike Stepney, Director of National Operations.
WINGX Advance Managing Director Richard Koe will highlight trends in UK business aviation activity and take a sideways look at what Brexit might mean for British business aviation at large. Complementing this year’s programme is an Industry Safety Day, which has also been created to help develop partnerships across aviation.
Focusing on what the Aviation Services sector needs to do on the safety curve, the session welcomes attendees from airlines, major MROs and its own community. “We are pleased to be the conduit for the ‘Aviation Services’ industry to hold its second safety day workshop in parallel with the BBGA conference - an initiative where all elements of aviation airworthiness work together to establish best practices and develop action plans to improve safety in our sector,” said BBGA CEO Marc Bailey. This group, headed by Steve Richardson, Vice President, Safety, Security & Compliance at Virgin Atlantic Airways, includes large scheduled carriers, large MROs and business aviation representatives.
In the afternoon delegates can choose from three topical breakout sessions – IS-BAH, FBO training or a continuation of the Industry safety day, before winding down to a champagne reception and networking gala dinner.
Registered media will get an update on the likelihood of public charter opening up in the UK and Europe for single engine aircraft operations – bringing a new, affordable model for business aviation that further widens the customer pool. UK Pilatus PC-12 sales representative Oriens Aviation, CEO Edwin Brenninkmeyer will lead a panel discussion with Neil Harvey from Hunt and Palmer (this year’s media sponsor); James Dillon-Godfray from London Oxford Airport, Chris Mace from Klyne Aviation/Saxon Air and Richard Koe at WINGX Advance.
