Update: Aero Friedrichshafen postponed to 2021 over coronavirus concerns

Approximately 700 exhibitors were registered for the show, which has become a rite of spring and the biggest event in Europe dedicated to general aviation. It was originally scheduled for April 1 to 4, but organizers announced March 6 that the event was put on hold. On March 16, officials followed up, announcing that the show would be postponed to 2021.

Officials had initially held out hope that Aero Friedrichshafen could proceed despite growing uncertainty, but that changed as the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on the worldwide economy became clearer, wrote Roland Bosch, a member of Aero Friedrichshafen’s executive board.

“Neither the calendar of Messe Friedrichshafen nor the events taking place within the industry would have allowed easy rescheduling to the summer or fall of this year. After considering all the pros and cons, we found that a date in 2021 would be the only reasonable and acceptable way forward for the entire industry,” wrote Bosch in a follow-up message.

AOPA regularly participates in Aero Friedrichshafen, which has been held at a convention center next to the Friedrichshafen airport each year since 1977.

Attendance grew in 2019 as about 750 exhibitors and more than 40,000 visitors took in the event that was focused—as large aviation events in the United States have been—on emerging technology, growing the pilot population, and promoting aviation’s career choices.