BBGA Conference to Focus on Sustainability

Stanley JohnsonEmbracing 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 5th March, 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. 

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.

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.

Around 150 delegates are expected.  Please book here www.bbga.aero or contact Rachael Paskin at rachael.paskin@bbga.aero