19 November 2007 – The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) today announced that its Carbon Balancing Scheme has been officially launched with long term BBGA member London Executive Aviation (LEA), the UK’s largest executive aircraft charter operator, as the first fully signed up operator. LEA will now offer its clients the opportunity to balance the carbon emissions produced from their flights through the BBGA scheme. The BBGA launched the Carbon Balancing Scheme earlier this year with the unique aim of making the entire business and general aviation industry carbon neutral.  Using only independently certified offsetting projects, the BBGA scheme offers operators the chance to counter carbon emissions through the purchase of forestry based, fuel based or technology based offsets.  BBGA members can choose to balance the carbon emissions on all flights or on a selected flight by flight basis.

David Antrobus, Chairman of the BBGA, said, “As a sector, the business and general aviation industry is committed to minimising its impact on the environment and we are delighted that LEA has come on board as the first member of our Carbon Balancing Scheme. We are looking to the future of the industry and are putting the scheme forward as an alternative means of compliance to the proposed inclusion of general and business aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).”

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, Chief Executive of London Executive Aviation, commented, “We were very impressed by the BBGA carbon balancing scheme. The flexibility that the scheme offers will suit the needs of our clients perfectly and we are delighted to be supporting the BBGA in its efforts to combat climate change.”

The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) is the UK’s national trade body representing the Business and General Aviation Industry.  Members include the UK’s aircraft manufacturers, business aviation (air taxi and corporate operators), aircraft maintenance companies, flying training organisations, Fixed Base Operators, aircraft spares suppliers and other supporting companies.

London Executive Aviation is the UK’s largest executive aircraft charter operator and was named Best General Aviation Operator in the Baltic Air Charter Association’s 2007 and 2006 Excellence Awards. The company operates the largest diverse fleet of executive aircraft in the UK and the largest fleet of Citation Excels.  LEA is the only executive aviation company with a full base at London City airport; it operates five further bases around London.  LEA is owned by its management and has maintained a record of unbroken profitability since it was founded in 1996.

Source: London Executive Aviation
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