Recently in EBACE 2010 Category

Well the show's in the bag for the Flightglobal team, it was quite a busy week for us and we hope you enjoy our wall-to-wall coverage of Europe's biggest business aviation conference. Here'a a recap of the Day Three stories, followed by our final EBACE issue of interactive Flight Daily News.

Here's our wrap up of the big news from Day Two at EBACE.

GENEVA -- Flight International Magazine editor Murdo Morrison and I discuss Day One of EBACE, which was dominated by a number of announcements, including the Mach .925 cruise by Gulfstream's G650. Our top story here at EBACE yesterday was the revelation that Hawker Beechcraft is quietly working on a competitor to the Pilatus PC-12. Flight understands that the airframer is currently undergoing engine selection for the new single engine turboprop. 

There is still a noticeable sluggishness to the show and optimism is cautious, but again the story of the show is more about what's not being said as airframers stay mum on development of future aircraft in the pipeline. Also, bear with me, I've got a bit of a head cold.

On May 2, Gulfstream achieved mach .925, when certified will make the new business jet the world's fastest civil aircraft. Gulfstream conducted its high speed testing at 42,500 feet and achieved buffet-free banking up to 45 degrees at high speed cruise. The program has accumulated 138hr over 48 flights since its November first flight. The third flight test aircraft is expected to make its first flight in the next week. The company expects to receive its Type Inspection Authorization from the FAA in the fourth quarter of 2010.

For the G250, two aircraft have accumulated nearly 79 hours over 30 flights, with a third set to join the flight test program shortly.

GENEVA -- A year ago I wrote that the absence of players like Hawker Beechcraft and Cessna defined the state of the industry. The absence of these Wichita-based heavy hitters showed just how far the market had fallen in a short time: Production rates cut, programs shelved, workforces cut. In short, EBACE 2009 was the bottom. 

A year later, signs of recovery are coming to the fore. Corporate profits, business aviation's leading indicator, are rebounding, driving aircraft utilization and reinvigorating demand for aircraft.

Early signs illustrate that the trends continue to focus on getting the most out of existing aircraft with the addition of fuel-saving winglets, new avionics, interiors and engines, continuing to signal that if customers are spending money, it's on their existing fleets.

One new addition to this show is the return of discussion about new aircraft. While no new clean designs are expected to be announced this week, below the surface there is an audible buzz about new models (or the re-launch of new models) on the horizon from companies like Gulfstream, Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft and Cessna.

Just as the Singapore air show lacked major order announcements, the theme focused on the work going on behind the scenes as the aerospace industry prepared for the full recovery in the years to come. While an optimistic mood already permeates the show in great contrast to last year, the industry continues its quiet hibernation on the road to recovery.