Aero Friedrichshafen Expanding for Broader Bizav Reach

Building off expansion into business aviation at Aero Friedrichshafen 2025, show organizers are making provisions to accommodate much more of the market sector for their next event, to be held April 22 to 25, 2026. Aero Friedrichshafen has grown into Europe’s largest general aviation show, having attracted everything from the experimental and novelty up to turbine aircraft.

But last year, the show opened a business aviation dome to extend the reach into the full scope of the sector and attracted interest from the largest business jet OEMs and their suppliers as they looked to tap into the Central European market. This helped fill a void left by the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), which opted against hosting a static display this year. However, Aero Friedrichshafen organizers say the goal is not to replace EBACE, but rather to complement the pure-play business aviation convention.

Speaking last week at the Irish Business and General Aviation Association’s fourth annual International Business Aviation Conference, Dennis Schulz—Aero Friedrichshafen’s project manager of international sales in EMEA, North America, and China—gave a glimpse of the plans for the 2026 show. He noted that organizers are paving the way to accommodate substantially more exhibitors and aircraft on static display next year.

Pointing out that 2025 was a record-breaking year for Aero Friedrichshafen, Schultz recalled, “Shortly before our show, I had a client call in…asking me: ‘You still got space for a Global 7500.’ As a sales manager, you never want to turn down any client. You just want to make it happen. But we simply just ran out of space…There were just so many inquiries.”

The 2025 edition drew 328 aircraft and 760 exhibitors from 38 nations, with visitors topping 32,000 from 80 nations. A 2,000-sq-m (21,500-sq-ft) dome adjacent to the exhibition Hall A1 at Messe Friedrichshafen was set up to host the business aviation activity. But organizers quickly discovered it was not enough space, so they are doubling the dome size for the 2026 event.

In addition, organizers are opening up Hall A1 to business aviation to provide even more space. That hall, Schultz remarked, is the largest and most modern, adding a possible 10,000 sq m. “We realized that the dome alone will not accommodate the business aviation community.”

They are further shifting the facility to accommodate a larger static display alongside Halls A1, A2, and A3. “So, if you have a spare [Global] 7500, let me know and I'll get you in next year,” he said. “We should have the space now.”

In addition, Helicopters will return to Hall B5, as well as the static display.

Business aviation exhibitors are already lining up for the space, with many returning from the 2025 show. They include most of the major business aircraft OEMs such as Textron Aviation, Gulfstream, Bombardier, Pilatus, Dassault Aviation, Daher, Piaggio, and Honda Aircraft. They are joining a gamut of suppliers, operators, FBOs, fuel providers, and other service businesses that have already signed on, including Jetex, Jet Aviation, FAI, DC Aviation, FlightSafety International, and Rheinland Air Service.

Aero Friedrichshafen is also establishing pavilions for national associations such as the German Business Aviation Association and British Business and General Aviation Association. Plans also call for presentations on the challenges facing the sector, at the show along with networking opportunities.

Addressing feedback about logistics concerns, show organizers have entered into an agreement with housing agency Hotel Management International (HMI) to offer a bundled package of available rooms in Friedrichshafen and the surrounding region for guests.

“As you can see, our show is growing,” Schultz concluded.