European Business Aviation show in Geneva

EC145 Mercedes Benz style

The 2010 EBACE laid the path for the 2011 show as far as helicopters were concerned; the major event of the show being the full sized Mercedes Benz EC145 helicopter which was trailered last year. Last year we had the model and the 'painted dreams' but this year we had the real thing. Not only that but Eurocopter had already sold the first one and were displaying it next to a gull-wing Mercedes.
However, the handing over ceremony was a real damp squid - the buyer was given a document to sign without any fuss and a couple of people drank champagne ... not a learning experience or even good photos.
Other good things at EBACE were more in the jet line than in helicopters, although Lees Avionics had some news - their Part 145 design works has been growing to include some other types and they have recently been working on 2 Bell 412s which are going out to the Faro Islands to do SAR.
Lunch was good and being an aviation journalist even getting lunch was a bit of a surprise and worth going for - oh dear, probably a journalist in the car world would be shocked at such modesty!