

Photo Courtesy: Gulfstream

The Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) is underway in Shanghai and so far, it seems like Gulfstream has dominated the show. This year, Asia's largest business aviation event is hosting almost 200 exhibitors and over 35 static aircraft displays. Here are the ABACE 2014 highlights so far:

G280 Speed Records (...again):

By now we know that Gulfstream doesn't like to fly anywhere without breaking a record. And they've done it again - this time, with the G280. The super-midsize, long-range jet had already set 45 city-pair speed records before it set two more on the way to ABACE this year, making stops in Germany, Dubai and Hong Kong before flying to Shanghai.

"The G280 flew 2,751 nautical miles/5,094 kilometers from Friedrichshafen Airport in Germany to Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates at an average speed of Mach 0.84 for a total flight time of 5 hours and 49 minutes," Gulfstream said in a statement on April 14th.

From Dubai, the G280 made the 3,449 mile flight to Honk Kong International Airport with a time of 7 hours and 7 minutes at Mach .82.

Minsheng Orders 60 Aircraft from Gulfstream:

In one of the largest business aviation deals ever, Minsheng Financial Leasing Company Ltd. ordered 60 aircraft from Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. The deal was made in the last part of 2013, but the partnership was announced and celebrated at ABACE on Tuesday, according to a statement by Gulfstream on Tuesday.

The order reportedly includes 40 firm orders and 20 options - totaling over $2.6 billion, according to AIN- and includes aircraft from across the Gulfstream product line, including the G280, G450, G550 and G650.

ACJ319 Interior Change:

While Gulfstream stole the show with speed records and heavy orders, Airbus announced a new version of the company's ACJ319 corporate jet called the ACJ319 Elegance.

The ACJ319 Elegance has a newly designed interior, giving customers more options when it comes to customizing their aircraft. In addition, the new design allows for a smooth transition in the event that a customer wants to upgrade to a new cabin in the future, according to Airbus.

The Elegance design offers different module choices for lounge, office, conference or dining needs. It has a bathroom and galley up front, and a bedroom with a bathroom in the back.

Business Aviation Growth in China:

ABACE 2014 headlines also include the general outlook of business aviation in Asia, which is strong according to the deputy administrator for the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

Asian Sky Group (ASG) announced its 2013 Greater China Business Jet and Civil Helicopter Fleet Report at ABACE on Tuesday. According to the report, Gulfstream is dominating the general aviation market in China with almost 40 percent market share. Bombardier follows at 30 percent.



Image © Asian Sky Group

In 2013, the business jet market in China grew by 21 percent, with the largest growth seen by Embraer, Dassault Falcon and Hawker. The G-550 and G-450 are the most popular business jets in China, according to the report.

Finally, between 2007 and 2013, the business jet market in Greater China has grown at a rate of 34 percent, significantly higher than the global rate of five percent.