Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

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Charlotte Bailey

Despite heavy jets comprising the largest portion of the European fleet, Textron Aviation has accounted for the largest market share of the nearly 4,000 business aircraft in the region.
According to JetNet data published by the EBAA, there were 3,982 business aircraft based in Europe at the end of February. The largest contingent of these (1,042 aircraft and 26.1% of the total) were heavy jets, followed by light jets (1,013/25.5%), single turboprops (787/19.8%), twin turboprops (585/14.8%), midsize jets (471/11.9%), and so-called bizliners (84/2.1%).
This data, which does not tally with that provided by some of the manufacturers themselves, shows Textron Aviation dominating the Europe-based fleet with 903 of its Citation jets and 536 King Air and Caravan turboprops. The rest of Europe’s jet fleet is accounted for by Bombardier (529), Dassault (357), Gulfstream (165), and Embraer (139). In the turboprop contingent, Pilatus’ PC-12 is in second place (276), followed by Piper (239), Daher (160), and Piaggio Aero (80).
According to Textron Aviation, it has more than 1,700 aircraft in Europe, including 850 Citations, 450 King Airs, and 175 Caravans, with the remainder being its piston models. The company has introduced new models such as the Citation Ascend and the Beechcraft Denali with prospective European customers in mind.
“We’re seeing customers prioritize versatility and long-term value,” said Duncan Van De Velde, Textron Aviation’s sales vice president for Europe. “Many owners fly for a mix of business and personal missions, so they want aircraft that are flexible, comfortable, and a strong investment over time.”
According to Dassault Aviation, 360 of 2,170 Falcons operating worldwide are now based in Europe. More than 40% of the new Falcons delivered in 2025 went to customers in Europe.
Gulfstream said that it has 220 aircraft based in Europe and that its fleet there has grown by more than 34% over the past decade. According to Michael Swift, the U.S. manufacturer’s group vice president for international sales in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific, European demand is still showing strong year-over-year growth momentum.
“We’re seeing European customers continue to be drawn to Gulfstream because of our long-standing investments in sustainability, as well as the advanced technology and performance capabilities featured throughout our next-generation fleet,” Swift told AIN. He pointed to the manufacturer’s efforts to promote decarbonization by flying more than 3 million nautical miles on SAF, including the first-ever transatlantic flight on 100% unblended fuel.
According to Embraer, the European business aviation market regained some momentum in 2025 after what it said had been several challenging years. The company told AIN that it has more than 300 aircraft operating in Europe, including 154 Phenom light jets, 46 Praetors, 97 Legacys, and eight Lineage 1000s.
The Brazilian airframer said Phenom and Praetor models have proven popular with European customers seeking the right level of performance. Private flight providers NetJets Europe and Flexjet have both deployed the latest Praetor 500E and 600E jets for customers on the continent.
Gulfstream and Bombardier have made significant investments in their respective factory-owned European service centers at Farnborough and Biggin Hill in the London area. Textron Aviation has six service centers across the continent, plus a parts distribution hub in Düsseldorf, Germany, while Dassault Falcon Service’s Paris Le Bourget MRO center is the epicenter of the French airframer’s product support operation in Europe. Embraer Executive Jets has multiple authorized service centers in Europe.
<h2>Germany Is Top Home Base, but Registrations Head Offshore</h2>
Breaking Europe down in terms of where these aircraft are physically based, Germany has the top locations with 758, with the other main countries in descending order being the UK (519), France (490), Switzerland (227), Italy (224), Austria (188), Spain (163), and Malta (160). Collectively, the eight nations account for just over two-thirds of Europe’s entire fleet.
Where the aircraft are registered is a different story. Germany’s D- tail number is emblazoned on 703 of the aircraft, but the U.S. N-register is in second place with 393 aircraft. The next most popular national registries are France (321), Malta (241), the UK (239), Austria (227), and Portugal (155). z

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