By Bill Stansbeary
With the Saab “Born from Jets” theme, many jet genes were on static display for the Saab Business Aircraft and Jet Preview held at Scottsdale Airport at the Scottsdale Air Center on March 8.
Over 1,400 guests attended the Saab Business Aircraft & Jet Preview at the Scottsdale Air Center.
VIPs were invited to see the latest business aircraft from the all new Legacy by Embraer to Raytheon’s Premier I, the Piaggio Avanti, Adam Aircraft’s A700 and the Eclipse 500, as well as aircraft from Cessna, Cirrus, Diamond, Extra, Pilatus, Bombardier, Gulfstream and more.
In Flight Services provided the catering, adding a taste of class. Transtyle provided transportation in style by their stretched Hummer with an exotic interior that deserves a special award for best limousine design.
Steven Haener, marketing and sales promotion manager for Saab, showed the latest Saab vehicles, and Legends Saab provided exciting test drives. Barry Hancock, president of Worldwide Warbirds, and Miroslav Nikolich flew in an L-39C to display at the show.
Dan Littrell, Jet-One’s founder, arrived in a Pilatus PC-12 from San Diego, to announce their OmniSHARES program, a fractional aircraft ownership program serving the western United States and Mexico. Jeffrey Kirby, AvantAir executive vice president, flew in a Piaggio Avanti P180 twin turboprop to continue their success story of fractional aircraft ownership.
Michael Gibson, Pacific Aircraft vice president of sales and marketing, and Jim Heider, business development executive, brought the world’s finest hand-made model aircraft, carved out of mahogany by master craftsmen. Rikki Gallenbeck, WestStar Aviation/Premier Air Center Learjet sales program manager, and Emily Mason, WestStar Challenger sales program manager, came from Grand Junction, Colo., to exhibit their complete business aircraft sales and service program.
The Saab Business Aircraft and Jet Preview provides the perfect opportunity for buyers and sellers to get together on a grass roots local basis.
For future events, check [http://www.jetpreview.com].
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- In Flight Services did a magnificent job catering the event. Guests were impressed with the food and presentation.
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- Jerry Lips, left, publisher of Airport Journals, visits with an old high school pal from Huron, South Dakota. David Greschke, a retired Air Force F-15 pilot, now lives in the Scottsdale.
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- Much business was transacted at the show.
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- The VLJs were a big hit among the guests.
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- The Saab’s aviation heritage proved of interest to many attendees as they test–drove the Saab lineup.
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- The crowd came early and stayed late. The Scottsdale Air Center is always a first-class venue for the show.