‘Flight to Sustainability,’ the Environment and Business Aviation Tops Conference Agenda

Embracing the number one issue affecting our industry today, the British Business General Aviation Association (BBGA) is putting sustainability at the heart of its annual conference theme next month. Returning to Luton Hoo Hotel, UK, on Thursday, March 5, the Association is pleased to confirm that environmentalist, former MEP and World Bank representative, author Stanley Johnson will be this year’s keynote speaker.

The conference, to be hosted at Luton Hoo’s historic and grand Mansion House venue this year, will also address the importance of Future Aviation Strategy 2050 with Paul Maynard MP, Minister for Aviation and Major Infrastructure, followed by a workshop discussion. BBGA and its membership have provided input to FAS 2050, highlighting how the unique characteristics of business and general aviation can make a valued contribution. “We are on the precipice of an exciting new world in aviation – encompassing alternative fuels; modern renewable power plants; new eVTOL models,” said Marc Bailey, BBGA CEO. “Our recommendations for a sustainable future include maximizing use of airspace, performance based navigation and multiple approach paths to minimize noise and fuel burn, as the need to invest in sustainable fuels.”

There will be a session focused on air travel and SAF with EBAA’s head of environment Bruce Parry, plus Thorbjörn Larsson, General Manager, Air BP UK and the Nordics and Bryan Stonehouse, Global Biofuels Manager at Shell Aviation.

A session on illegal charter and a call for regulation and legislation, heightened in light of the high profile and tragic Sala accident, will be chaired by BBGA Chair and Partner, Air Law Firm, Aoife O’Sullivan, together with Dave Edwards, CEO of The Air Charter Association (ACA), David Kendrick, Head of Airline Licensing and Consumer Issues at the UK CAA and Simon Williams, Director of Civil Aviation, Isle of Man Aircraft Registry.

In the afternoon BBGA will address the pre-requisites for a sustainable (operationally viable) future for our airports, including the smaller airfields under threat from closure. James Dillon-Godfray, Head of Business Development at London Oxford Airport will lead the debate with Miles Thomas, Environment Manager at Farnborough Airport, (the world’s first carbon neutral airport) and Douglas Mancini, Chair of Fairoaks 2020, the lobby group for Surrey’s Fairoaks Airport.

In the second stand-alone talk, biologist Rod Arnold will highlight how the British Antarctic Survey (and David Attenborough) relies on business aviation – as an enabler for climate change research. As Head of the BAS’ Air Unit, Rod oversees the operation of five de Havilland Dash 7 and Twin Otter aircraft active in the polar regions, delivering science to the Antarctic and Arctic.

“The aviation industry has found itself firmly in the spotlight since the beginning of the year and much has been directly related to sustainability. The title, theme and timing of our conference is especially relevant,” added Marc Bailey. “Sustainability is extremely pertinent to the next generation, as we heard at last week’s Corporate Jet Investor Conference in London* and EBAA’s AirOps 2020 in Brussels. We are pleased too to be joining forces with our sister organisations in tackling this issue. Marc will be joined by Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK; Martin Robinson, CEO of AOPA UK; Athar Khan, CEO of The Air Charter Association in discussing this hugely importantly topic.

“Stanley Johnson leads a diverse and interesting speaker line up this year, adding to what we are sure will be an informative and educational event. We are also holding a so far untitled and undisclosed 30 minute session in the afternoon which will inevitably lead to a call to action.”

As before, BBGA will use the occasion to present the Michael Wheatley outstanding contribution to industry award. This will be presented at the start of the conference at 09:30 hrs. Recent recipients were Penny Stephens, CEO of Inflite Group (2019); Philip Lammiman (2018) and Andrew Walters (2017).

The day will conclude with a Networking Gala Dinner.