Central Europe's New Business Aviation Development Association Lands in Czech Republic

Dec 9, 2009 9:44 AM

Business aviation is a relatively new field in central Europe with a huge growth potential for its share on the European market. Industry leaders established the Central Europe Private Aviation (CEPA) association on November 2 in Prague, with the aim to support and develop business aviation in Central Europe. With this step, the Czech Republic becomes a key hub for private aviation in the region and strengthens its position on the European market.

CEPA is a voluntary, non-governmental and non-profit association of private citizens and legal entities that enjoins the interests of producers, operators, service organizations, training organizations, aircraft and helicopter brokers and supporting organizations including financial, insurance and publishing companies. CEPA welcomes both individuals and companies.

The Association's primary aim is to represent its members' interests on the national, European and international levels and to support the growth of private aviation in the Czech Republic and abroad. The Association will also have an educational arm to disseminate information about the current climate in business aviation in Central Europe, attract the attention of other operators and participate in and sponsor conferences on business aviation.

CEPA will initially focus on Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All these countries are a potential wealth of new business for the region, providing new markets for the business aviation industry. In the Czech Republic, private jets held only a small percentage of total flight volume until recently, and interested clients were often directed toward foreign companies who could provide the service. Today, 19 business jets are registered in the Czech Republic.

Secondly, CEPA will focus on promising markets such as Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. Grossmann Jet Service, a Czech private jet operator, has become the first member of CEPA.

“Based on the response we've received from brokers and business jet operators, it became clear that CEPA was the right step in the direction to a common goal: the development of business aviation in Central Europe,” said Chairman and founder of CEPA, Dagmar Grossmann.

For more information, please e-mail info@cepa.aero.

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