EVA Summer 2026 -Powerd by AI

At the time of writing in mid-June, the uncertainties of the on-again, off-again conflict in the Middle East are playing havoc with fuel prices as the industry braces itself for a possible shortage, one that might affect Europe most acutely. But there is more to the problem than reduced supply. In fact, as Avfuel's Director of Trading and Logistics, Muneeb Ahmed explains in his revealing article, the Strait of Hormuz crisis can teach business aviation how fuel markets really work. Fuel prices, he says, are not a simple reflection of supply conditions, but the product of a global system that's constantly processing information, evaluating risk and responding to uncertainty.

Opinions vary on whether cancellation of the 2026 edition of the long-running European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition – EBACE – event was expected. Either way, its demise has not kept your editor away from real aeroplanes, with Textron's splendid Citation Ascend and a spectacular array of Gulfstreams making their way into this edition. The Ascend impressed through its attention to detail, while the Gulfstreams won through on sheer presence.

In this summer 2026 EVA, we also look at European airports and FBOs, including Riviera Airport, a recent addition to the Sky Valet Connect network. Finnish FBOs Jetflite and ScandiAvia also feature, alongside the UK's XLR Jet Centres.

XLR works in partnership with Saxon Air at the latter's Norwich Airport FBO, supporting the burgeoning company's jet and helicopter fleets. These past few months have seen a rapid expansion in Saxon's helicopter management and charter operations, yet Miles Riches, Head of Rotary Sales at the UK operator, says he is keen to add just a few more aircraft to the fleet.

Aircraft management, especially for long-range jets, is also the primary business of Malta's Skyfirst. A powerful industry advocate, Skyfirst CEO and founder Olivier Perdriel is also outspoken on Europe's profligate regulations and taxes, a bundle of red tape that he fears is damaging the industry. KlasJet, meanwhile, as revealed by CEO Justinas Bulka, is patiently working with the FAA as it looks to expand its VIP Boeing 737 operations in the US.

Finally, thanks to the splendid folk at Phillips 66, we are thrilled to present the story of Bighorn Airways, an organisation born out of the desire to fly and a love for aviation, according to Director of FBO Services Penny Rader. Based at Sheridan County Airport, Wyoming, the company evolved from a 1940s crop-spraying outfit and today flies wildfire response operations alongside its FBO and maintenance operations. Bighorn encapsulates the complexity, flexibility and variety that characterise business aviation, and we hope you love its story too.