While having today a major impact on continuous global economic prosperity, aviation also faces many new challenges. Estonia, for example, has reached a point where the next step forward is crucial in bringing together different parts of the aviation value chain, says Mart Lubi, one of the founders of Estonian Aviation Cluster (see link).
Estonian Aviation Cluster was introduced last spring with the purpose to unite Estonian aviation companies and organizations, contribute to the creation of national aviation strategy and increase the attractiveness of Estonia as an aviation country for foreign investors. “Further cooperation and common understanding regarding the development of Estonian aviation domestically, as well as internationally, is essential for the sector,” claims Mart Lubi, the General Manager of Fort Aero, company leading the business aviation in Estonia.
Estonian Aviation Cluster has already started mapping the common values of member organizations and is also in the process of monitoring the current situation of Estonian aviation in general. In Lubi’s opinion, aviation export is one of the important topics to discuss: “Education, business and commercial aviation, aircraft maintenance and infrastructure are all important parts of the big picture. The next leap is to create the image of Estonia as a real aviation state in the eyes of foreign investors,” he admits.
EAC Webpage Snippet
Despite being geographically on the verge of Europe, Estonia has, without a doubt, proven itself as a successful digital country with fast and efficient processes. In Lubi’s opinion, what has brought us on the world map as a digital nation, offers also opportunities in aviation: “Estonia is a perfect combination of a technological success story, motivated people with outstanding know-how and flexibility to make the expected result happen fast.”
As innovation has a great impact on the industry, Lubi suggests that Estonia could successfully be the aviation innovation center among other countries. “Estonia needs to establish itself as a desired environment and destination for companies leading the innovation in the sector. Today, individual companies help to retain the image of Estonia as an aviation state. But to increase cooperation and to combine different single success stories into one global rewarding Estonian aviation narrative- that is the way forward. While developing, for example, new aviation security solutions or zero-emission planes- Estonia is a perfect destination for companies engaged in such kind of future solutions,” encourages the long-term pilot foreign investors to seek opportunities in Estonia.
The General Manager of Fort Aero also admits that Estonia has much potential in creating favorable conditions for being the country of residence in terms of business aviation. “Estonia is one of the most outstanding global players in being paperless. This applies to aviation as well. It figuratively takes five minutes to register a business or an aircraft here in Estonia. At the same time, all procedures are fully transparent. Being a destination country for business aviation registration would be one of the opportunities for Estonia to be globally recognized,” reasons Lubi Estonian aviation export.
“In the end, the Estonian Aviation Cluster brings together companies who all have the desire to cooperate in the development of aviation as an industry, both nationally and internationally. Estonia has great potential. We have an opportunity to be a stopover between Europe and Asia in terms of cargo airlines, we are capable of offering the best aviation education in the region while attracting ambitious aviation-related start-ups and boosting Estonian economy,” believes Lubi in joint action among the value chain.
Connect with Mart Lubi via Linkedin.
Visit Estonian Aviation Cluster webpage.