Germany is a large aviation market with some 90 companies engaged in corporate aviation or business charter traffic. The size of operator fleets ranges from one right up to 25 aircraft. Major companies operate their own fleets of up to seven aircraft which span all kinds of aircraft types from the smallest propeller aircraft to the ACJ 319.

There was a significant loss of traffic during 2009, some figures surpassing the minus 50 per cent mark. Business traffic in total in Europe fell by some 25 per cent. But during the recent winter months the industry experienced a positive upturn comparatively. We are not back in the good times compared with 2008 but the outlook is not that bad as in the past.

Some chairmen of US automotive corporations hastily axed business aircraft usage, but this was fortunately not a reaction that was chosen by our customers. They recognised that the basic rule that "time is money" was still valid and in force. And when you look at the experiences of business travellers fighting their way through the airports, waiting in long queues at security and running up and down lounges to reach their gate that is sometimes two kilometres away, there is an additional consideration - that comfort and convenience results in quality business.

The Eyjafjalla volcano crisis presented the private aviation sector with a much broader challenge to that posed by routine requests of executives. Many executives request a private aviation alternative when inconvenienced or distressed by an unforeseen or exceptional event or because they have been let down by a scheduled service provider.

When the airspace closed in response to the volcano's eruption, it affected IFR traffic. But VFR traffic could still fly and there was a remarkable number of business aircraft, both jets and turboprops, flying under controlled VFR regulations. Business aviation was on "stand-by" to help because the volcano was inconveniencing those needing to be about their business. But the sector often could not respond to clients because there was a problem is obtaining slots. This affected access to the major hub airports, where business aviation clients wanted to fly in and out, or had plans to connect with long haul passenger flights. Slots were scarce at major hub airports and this sometimes resulted in hours of delay or made flights impossible.

In Germany, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Munich provided examples of airports where restrictions made life difficult and the problem may not ease in the future. Even the new Berlin airport, scheduled to open in late 2011, will impose restrictions on business aviation right from the beginning. The final closure of Berlin-Tempelhof airport was - to say the least - a very unfriendly act against business aviation clientele.

Right now the business aviation community also suffers from other major problems. ETS is the upcoming European CO2 certification system. The burden for the operators, especially the small ones, is heavy and in some cases unacceptable. Some rules are arbitrary and flight time limitations are under discussion as are the security matters.

The GBAA (German Business Aviation Association) is working towards resolving these major problems in collaboration with the EBAA and IBAC.