Africa Swiss at the AERO Friedrichshafen 2025
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From April 9 to 12, 2025, we from Africa Swiss visited AERO Friedrichshafen, one of the leading trade fairs for general aviation in Europe. With over 700 exhibitors from 38 countries, the trade fair offered a comprehensive overview of current developments and innovations in the aviation industry.
For us, the visit to AERO was more than just a trade fair visit. As an organization that promotes sustainable partnerships between Europe and Africa, we see mobility as the key to economic development. In many African regions, long distances and inadequate infrastructure make access to markets, education and healthcare difficult. This is where general aviation can play a decisive role.
At the trade fair, we were able to get to know a variety of aircraft and technologies - from ultralight aircraft to helicopters and business jets. We were particularly interested in solutions that require minimal infrastructure but are still reliable and efficient. Such systems could significantly improve access to important services in remote regions of Africa.
We also held talks with manufacturers and service providers who are already active in Africa or are interested in expanding to the continent. The growing demand for flexible and cost-efficient aviation solutions in Africa was confirmed on several occasions.
African aviation faces various challenges, including high operating costs, limited infrastructure and regulatory hurdles. Nevertheless, there are positive developments: Initiatives such as the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) aim to liberalize air transport on the continent and improve access.
In addition, innovative business models such as fractional ownership and jet sharing show that private aviation need not only be accessible to a wealthy elite, but can also reach broader sections of the population.
Our visit to AERO Friedrichshafen gave us valuable insights into current trends and technologies in the aviation industry. For Africa Swiss, this means that we can focus our projects and partnerships even more specifically on the needs and opportunities in the African context.
We are convinced that general aviation can make an important contribution to sustainable development in Africa - be it by improving mobility, promoting tourism or supporting education and health projects.
In March 2025, Africa Swiss visited the BWA in Berlin and became an official member - with a focus on economic cooperation between Europe and Africa.
Africa Swiss visited AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2025, focusing on aviation solutions and their potential for Africa.
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