International aviation exhibition AERO ended Saturday – Record number of exhibitors on takeoff; good attendance figures on landing: 32,000 trade visitors from all over the world over four days – Pilots well represented.

Aero_2019_lix_5044 — ©Bildrechte: Messe Friedrichshafen

AERO Heading for a Record

"Have a nice flight!" One could as well have said that to the AERO itself at the start of the four-day exhibition. The 27th international aviation exhibition had already lifted off with a record number of 757 exhibitors.

And on Saturday, April 13, 2019, according to statements from numerous industry experts, the trade fair managed a perfect landing. Many exhibitors reported that business is booming in the general aviation sector.

While the focus of the event was on world premieres and new innovations, the supporting program of highly technical events was also very well received by the specialist audience in attendance. After four days, the AERO closed with extremely positive results: 32,100 trade visitors came from Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand and other overseas regions to Lake Constance in the south of Germany – over three percent more than the 31,100 that attended in 2018.

On Saturday the AERO team celebrated an outstanding bottom line. "With 757 exhibitors from 40 countries, this is the largest the international aviation exhibition at Lake Constance has ever been. The proportion of foreign exhibitors was also unprecedented, with every second exhibitor coming from abroad. Attendance of 32,100 visitors means we're well pleased with the results." Messe CEO Klaus Wellmann, head of AERO Roland Bosch and project lead Tobias Bretzel were proud and confident in presenting the end results.

The 27th AERO attracted seven percent more exhibitors than its predecessor, with every major company in general aviation present.

"The AERO in Friedrichshafen is Europe's largest exhibition for general aviation, and with regard to innovations and premieres, this meeting is the leading exhibition worldwide for the industry," said Klaus Wellmann in conclusion.

Head of AERO Roland Bosch and project lead Tobias Bretzel, who spent much of the four days in personal meetings with their customers in the halls, reported that the atmosphere in the halls was extremely good and that many sales transactions were finalized directly at the fair. The strategic orientation of the AERO in addition to new topics such as the Business Aviation Conference and the Lindbergh Innovation Forum provided even more impetus.

The AERO Conferences, the Helicopter Hangar, and the E-Flight Expo also scored big points with very appreciative specialist audiences. "We registered phenomenal feedback," said AERO head Roland Bosch. The "Be a pilot" program aiming to attract new junior pilots and the Flight Simulator Area were very well received by the industry. Numerous conversations made it clear that interest in the topic of electrically powered flight (as seen at the E-Flight Expo) is continuing to grow, with the subject of sustainability gaining ever greater significance. Among others concerned with drones at the AERO were the police, who have been testing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for some time now.

The focus of the trade visitors and the media at the exhibition on the shores of Lake Constance lay mainly on news and innovations. An unusually well-qualified specialist audience (60 percent pilots) consisting of around 60 percent visitors from abroad attended the exhibition with great interest and considerable prior knowledge.

AERO visitors took special note of the next big event in general aviation: the AERO South Africa, a cooperation between AERO Friedrichshafen and Messe Frankfurt South Africa.

This event presents the latest products and innovations to the industry and is Africa's largest trade fair for the general aviation segment. It's slated to take place near Pretoria at Wonderboom Airport from July 4 to 6, 2019.

Exhibitor Comments on the AERO 2019

Dr. Nicolas von Mende, CEO of Atlas Air Service AG and Florian Kohlmann, CEO of Augsburg Air Service GmbH:
"We will be presenting a total of four aircraft at the AERO, making our company the largest representative of business jets at the aviation trade fair on Lake Constance. Over the past four days of the trade fair, we have been won over by the AERO, which gave us the opportunity to engage in many interesting customer discussions regarding specific purchase intentions. We believe that we will be able to close several deals. It is also interesting for us when many of our regular customers come to our stand to talk about current topics and developments. We couldn’t be more pleased that the premiere of the Business Aviation Conference met with such a great response and that we were able to welcome so many trade visitors there."

Jeff Johnson, Head of Cirrus Aircraft:
"We have a lot to do, our stand is popular and many expert visitors have been dropping by. We are more than satisfied. There isn’t any doubt that we will be coming to the AERO next year too. We particularly appreciate the great interest shown by individual customers. If I had to describe the trade fair in one word, ‘successful’ would be it."

Maximilian Rommel, CEO of RS Flightsystem:
"As our company is still quite new, this is our first time at the AERO. For us, the aviation trade fair is the most important event, because we are reaching our target audience for general aviation here. We are very satisfied with the trade fair, not only because our end customers are here but also because we really get a chance to see the entire industry, making this venue the place where we can also find partners for new solutions. We’ll definitely be back in 2020."

Michael Krenmayr, Flight Control and Simulation Specialist for AutoFlightX:
"For us, the feedback on our first appearance was exclusively positive, and the unveiling of our prototype on the first day of the trade fair generated a great deal of media and visitor interest. Since we are still a very young company, this fair gives us the opportunity to establish international contacts to set up partnerships and get to know new technologies, and we also hope to attract investors. The networking here at the AERO is excellent. The trade fair was definitely a great opportunity for us to present ourselves on the international stage."

Tadej Hozic, Product Manager for Pipistrel:
"If you’re not at the AERO, it’s like you don’t even exist. It’s simply the largest and most important general aviation trade fair in Europe and was a great event again this year. We have been a part of it since the beginning and are always impressed. You can make a lot of new contacts, and you have interested customers that you can close deals with directly on the spot in some instances."

Dr. Frank Liemandt, Spokesman of the German Helicopter Association:
"The second edition of the Helicopter Hangar in B5 topped the event in 2018 by a long shot. Twenty-five helicopters, ranging from the tiny Cabri to the huge Super Puma, were a big draw for many visitors. The four-day lecture program integrated in the hall attracted additional attention. A definite highlight here was the presentation of Rainer Wilke regarding acrobatics with the B0 105 of the Flying Bulls. The cooperation with the project team from the trade fair was exceptional; we supported each other in achieving this great success."

Eberhard Herr, Managing Partner, Herreos Aviation:
"This is the third time I’ve attended with my company in the Helicopter Hangar in hall B5, and I’m very satisfied with the how the exhibition went as well as by the development of the AERO in terms of helicopters. We made many high-quality contacts here, which are of course very important for our business and the sale of helicopters. The AERO is also an important location for us and well positioned in the economic area of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland."

Bernhard Mattlener, Managing Director of HORTEN Aircraft GmbH:
"We were overwhelmed by the positive response, and we’ve received so much encouragement for the idea. We seem to be hitting a market nerve; aviation is moving more and more towards alternative propulsion systems. The flying wing aircraft is an ideal platform for the upcoming technology."