EAA Sport Aviation

2009

REPORT AND PHOTOS BY
KENT MISEGADES, EAA 520919

AERO Friedrichshafen, Europe’s largest trade

show for general aviation, opened on April

1 in this metropole on Lake Constance, “der

Bodensee” as it’s known in German. Similar to EAA

AirVenture Oshkosh, AERO is a number of shows in

one: it’s a trade show for aircraft manufacturers and

suppliers; it’s an opportunity for prospective buyers

to take a demo flight; it’s a conference on the status

of business and political issues concerning general

aviation in Europe; and on weekends, AERO becomes

a popular attraction for the public with an extensive

air show. This year it also featured a special seminar

on electric propulsion, the first-ever “e-flight-expo.”

The 2009 edition was a resounding success: 625 exhibitors were present, a 12 percent increase over the previous event in 2007. Fifty-two percent of these were from outside Germany, with American exhibitors representing the largest international contingent from among 27 countries represented. Seventy percent of the 46,000 visitors to AERO have pilot certificates and came shopping for new aircraft and aviation products.

AERO was a success for EAA, too, with a cooperative agreement signed last fall between the two groups. EAA’s large display was a magnet to European EAA members, During the four days of AERO, dozens of visitors joined, impressed by what they saw and heard from EAA staff members and volunteers.

Thanks to good weather, the ramps on the adjacent airfield swelled to capacity, making the Friedrichshafen airport one of the busiest in Europe during the event. Now an annual event, AERO Friedrichshafen will take place next year from April 8-11. For details, see www.AERO-Friedrichshafen.de.

While many of the products on display at AERO are familiar to AirVenture attendees, others are not, reflecting innovation unique to European aviation. Tighter airspace, ubiquitous user fees, higher fuel costs, and more extensive regulation of airspace, noise, and certification have led to some ingenious ideas by our European brethren, pilots who share a common desire to move unencumbered and efficiently in three dimensions.

I was especially impressed by strides that have been made in electric-powered manned flight as highlighted in the inaugural e-flight-expo, a major theme of AERO 2009. Far from a stunt, this technology is already finding its way into ultralight aviation, and we may soon see true, practical electric-powered airplanes on both sides of the pond.

Another difference seen in the latest generation of light aircraft from Europe compared to the States is the use of variable-pitch propellers, turbocharging, and retractable landing gear, all verboten under Sport Pilot regulations. While retracts might be questionable for a craft that cruises at 120-knots maximum— no matter how cool they look—turbocharged engines and variable-pitch props make a lot of sense for both efficiency and performance/safety reasons. As light-sport aircraft (LSA) become more aerodynamically efficient and lighter, flying around with a fixed-pitch prop is like driving a car stuck in high gear. Let’s hope that as the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) work toward common certification of aircraft and pilots, we’ll incorporate some European thoughts into U.S. aviation.