AERO in Friedrichshafen once again showed why many rightly consider it one of the most important meeting points for general aviation in Europe. This year’s edition of the show, held from April 22 to 25, 2026, was record-breaking by several measures. According to the organizers, the 32nd edition of the fair welcomed around 37,000 visitors from 88 countries, while 860 exhibitors from 50 countries presented their products, services and solutions across more than one million square feet of gross exhibition space. Compared with last year’s 32,100 visitors, this represents significant growth, while the international nature of the event was further confirmed by the fact that 54 percent of exhibitors and 55 percent of visitors came from outside Germany.
Yet the numbers, impressive as they are, do not fully describe what AERO in Friedrichshafen really is. It is a trade fair where it is perhaps easiest to see just how broad aviation is, and how it does not have a classic, easily defined target audience. Among the visitors, it is impossible to identify one common predisposition that connects them all. Regardless of age, gender, race, profession or flying experience, everyone came for the same reason: to see what is new in the world of general aviation.
Of course, it must be understood that AERO is, above all, a sales fair. Aircraft manufacturers, suppliers of related equipment, spare parts, aviation software, avionics, airport equipment and numerous other products come there with a very clear goal: to present, offer and ultimately sell their product. Yet this is precisely one of the fair’s special qualities. Although the business background of every exhibition hall is clearly visible, most exhibitors showed enough patience and willingness to present their exhibits even to those who are not necessarily buyers, but are simply curious, passionate about aviation or eager to see first-hand where the industry is heading.
At AERO, general aviation pilots can sit in their “dream plane”, talk to demonstration pilots, sales representatives and technical staff, and compare aircraft they may previously have seen only in photos or catalogues. But what particularly stands out is networking. In the halls and corridors of Friedrichshafen Messe, it is almost impossible to pass through without meeting someone familiar from the aviation world. Someone will recommend a stand worth visiting, someone will share experience with a particular aircraft type, someone will hand you a brochure, while someone else will simply stop for a short chat that very quickly turns into a half-hour aviation discussion.
This is where the spirit of AERO is most clearly visible. Aviation is lived there, felt in the air and present at every step. Even during lunch, sitting on garden benches in the fairground courtyard with traditional German sausages, you hear almost nothing around you except conversations about aircraft, engines, avionics solutions, new regulations, airfields, flights and plans. And even if, for a brief moment, you forget where you are, the Zeppelin flying over the fairgrounds quickly reminds you.
This year, the business aviation segment was particularly strong. According to the organizers, the Business Aviation Dome in the static display area was 50 percent larger than last year, while exhibitors from that segment occupied Hall A1, the largest hall at the show, as well as Halls A2 and parts of A3. Visitors were able to compare a wide range of aircraft, from large long-range business jets such as the Bombardier Global 6500 and Dassault Falcon 6X, through light business jets, single- and twin-engine turboprops and piston aircraft, to LSA aircraft, ultralights and helicopters.
Among the notable premieres were the Cessna Citation Ascend, which Textron Aviation presented at an airshow outside the United States for the first time, and the Cessna SkyCourier, which was displayed at an aviation show in Europe for the first time. Daher also presented its TBM 980 and Kodiak 900 turboprop aircraft at a trade fair outside the United States for the first time, while world premieres included the B-100C from Kaelin Aerospace Technologies and the Terrone ultralight from Italy’s Promecc Aerospace. Cirrus Aircraft presented the latest versions of its successful SR series, as well as the SF50 Vision Jet personal jet, with all of these aircraft now equipped with Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system, which can automatically land the aircraft at the nearest suitable airfield in an emergency.
AERO is not only a showcase of the present, but also a glimpse into what aviation can become. In Hall A7, sustainable aviation projects stood out in particular, including fully electric and hybrid aircraft, hydrogen propulsion systems and solutions for developing airport energy infrastructure. On the new Innovation Stage, projects were presented that show the future of general aviation is already taking shape: quieter, cleaner and technologically more accessible than before.
As expected, concrete business deals were also made at the show. Hamburg-based company Luminair announced an order for nine Cessna Citation Latitude business jets during AERO Media Day, while Tecnam presented several orders for training aircraft from various flight schools during the fair. According to the organizers, other manufacturers also reported aircraft sales and scheduled test flight appointments.
We were especially pleased to hear the Croatian language at one of the stands, namely at the stand of Rijeka Airport. This was not Rijeka Airport’s first appearance at AERO, and by exhibiting there it is following the example of primarily German, but also other neighbouring airfields that come to the show to present themselves to general aviation pilots. Alongside Rijeka, another nearby exhibitor was Portorož Airport, which also presented itself to an audience for whom smaller airfields and general aviation destinations are a very concrete and interesting topic.
A proper visit to AERO requires time. It is not enough to simply walk through the halls, because the outdoor static display is equally worth seeing. In addition, those attending for several days should also plan for Saturday, when the airshow traditionally takes place on the final day of the fair. Unfortunately, we had to skip that part this year, as we visited Friedrichshafen only on Friday.
For everyone coming to AERO, we also recommend setting aside at least half a day to visit the Dornier Museum, located next to the passenger terminal of Bodensee Airport. It is very easy to reach by taking the shuttle bus from the fairgrounds to the passenger terminal, followed by just a few minutes’ walk. The museum is large, highly interactive and extremely interesting, presenting not only the history of the former German aviation giant Dornier, but also the broader development of German aviation.
AERO Career Days, held on Friday and Saturday, were another reminder that the future of aviation depends not only on new technologies, but also on people. Young people interested in an aviation career had the opportunity to meet potential employers, attend presentations and better understand the opportunities opening up in an industry that is changing rapidly, yet still rests on knowledge, experience and passion.
Next year will be even bigger for AERO on a global level. The fair returns to Friedrichshafen from April 14 to 17, 2027, followed by AERO South Africa in June, AERO Asia from November 11 to 14 in Zhuhai, China, and AERO Middle East from December 7 to 11 in Riyadh.
For the author of these lines, this was not the first AERO, but the same conclusion returns every year: one day is simply not enough for a proper visit to this fair. During those days, Friedrichshafen is not merely a place where aircraft are exhibited. It is a place where general aviation, for a few days, becomes the common language of everyone passing through its halls, corridors, courtyards and static display areas with the same curiosity. And that is precisely why one almost always leaves AERO with the same thought: next time, stay longer.
