The Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Awards were presented for the first time at an event in the Czech capital Prague on April 8. According to organizer Media Tribune, the new awards program attracted 87 nominations, and winners were selected by a process of open online voting (accounting for 40 percent of scores) and a panel of industry experts (60 percent).
The winners for the 13 categories were as follows: Meridian Air Company (business jet operator); Colibri Aircraft (aircraft broker); Jet Aviation (MRO facility); FBO Riga (FBO/handler); TAG Farnborough Airport—London (business aviation airport); Vertis Aviation (innovation in business aviation); European Business Aviation Association president Brian Humphries (lifetime achievement); Moscow’s Vnukovo 3 private aviation terminal (outstanding business aviation performance in Russia); Erica Da Veiga, co-founder of Vertis Aviation (woman in aviation); UAS International Trip Support (charity effort); BAA Training (outstanding integration of social media); and Dagmar Grossmann (outstanding performance in Central and Eastern Europe). The business aviation journalist award went to AIN editor-in-chief Charles Alcock.
The Sapphire Pegasus Business Aviation Awards are supported by EBAA, the Central Europe Private Aviation association and the Russian United Business Aviation Association.