The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) exhibited for the second year at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) 2007 tradeshow in Geneva, Switzerland, promoting the offshore Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry. EBACE this year broke all previous records with approximately 11,267 (15% increase over last year's registered attendees) and 354 exhibitors at the Geneva PALEXPO.
This year the CAACI teamed up with various other Cayman Islands entities to have a very strong presence at EBACE. Joining the CAACI were the following: The Cayman Islands Investment Bureau, the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry, representation from the Department of Tourism s UK/Europe office, local legal firm Conyers Dill & Pearman and German law partner, Schaeffer & Partners. Director of Commercial Affairs Regulation & Administration at the CAACI, Mrs. Nicoela McCoy commented, "The joint efforts of the public and private sectors partners at EBACE resulted in a very strong presence being established for the Cayman Islands. We fielded direct questions on aircraft registry, but also generated quite a bit of interest in the general destination, and other asset management services such as the shipping registry and the financial services available. We were quite pleased with the synergy created by being able to provide visitors to the CAACI booth with a variety of requested information."
The C. I. Aircraft Registry is an increasingly attractive registry of choice for foreign individuals and corporations. With approximately 130 planes registered in the private aircraft category, (such as Gulfstream, Boeing Business Jets, Airbus, Embraer, Dassault Falcon, Cessna, etc.,) aircraft owners and brokers have voiced their pleasure at the process of registering an aircraft on C. I. Aircraft Registry. Functions of the amply qualified CAACI Air Safety Regulation (ASR) staff who manage the registration process include stringent safety and technical standards with rigid airworthiness inspections and validations of flight personnel licenses. The CAACI ASR staff also liaises with legal and financial professionals in the industry who are familiar with registering mortgages and finding adequate solutions to most clients' questions and situations.
Director-General of the CAACI, Mr. Richard Smith commented, "EBACE provides a very appropriate forum for the CAACI to reach its target market for the aircraft registry. As the majority of aircraft currently registered are located in the European market, we find that we can network with existing clients and their key decision makers, and reach potential clients who are seeking an appropriate registry for aircraft assets." He continued, "EBACE is attended by not only interested business partners from the European market but also the neighbouring Middle Eastern and Asian markets which are also showing tremendous interest in the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry."
In addition to major manufacturers that had elaborate exhibitions displaying new aircraft, other exhibitors included service providers such as aircraft management companies, international fixed base operations, financial, insurance and legal experts, equipment manufacturers and retailers, international aviation publications and media houses, etc., etc. CAACI expects that a direct result of this successful exhibition they will experience increased applications for aircraft to be placed on the C. I. Aircraft Registry.
The CAACI booth this year was judged a major success, with the DOT assisting with booth design and sourcing of general destination images which when combined with the CAACI aircraft images created quite an attraction. Also adding to the excitement was the provision of local giveaways from Tortuga Rum Co, and raffle prize donations from the Grand Caymanian Resort donated through Caribbean Residence Clubs in conjunction with promotion of their planned exclusive property The Waterford and our national flag carrier, Cayman Airways, Ltd.