Fernand François, a former chief executive of the European Business Aviation Association and publisher of BART International magazine, passed away on Friday. After beginning his career as a graphic designer and running an advertising agency, he earned a private pilot’s license in 1970 and then spent the best part of five decades focused on aviation. He was instrumental in founding the EBACE trade show that is jointly run with NBAA.
In 1993, EBAA appointed François as its chief executive and he played a leading role in regenerating the trade association. After 12 years in the post, he handed over the reins to Brian Humphries and focused on running his Business Aviation Real Tool (BART) media group, with operations in both Europe and the U.S.
His collaboration with former NBAA president Jack Olcott transformed EBAA’s annual meeting from being a small annual event held in a Brussels hotel to the large-scale convention now staged in Geneva each May. The first EBACE was held April 18 to 20, 2001, and the upcoming 23rd edition will take place May 28 to 30.