Dubai Airshow to break records

Dubai: The 10th biannual Dubai Airshow, kicking off on Sunday, will break all previous sales records, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai City of Aviation Establishment and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and group, said yesterday.

The 2005 edition of the third largest airshow in the world saw roughly $21.3 billion in new aircraft purchases from Gulf airlines.

"We're expecting more [orders] this time, for sure," Shaikh Ahmad said, who may have been hinting of his airline's plans.

Emirates has said for months it may announce a blockbuster order of next-generation mid-ranged aircraft at the airshow, running from November 11 to 15. Other announcements are expected from Air Arabia, Yemenia, Qatar Airways and others.

The 10th edition of the Dubai Airshow, featuring commercial, military and private aircraft, is completely sold out, thanks to the arrival of several major homegrown exhibitors. Dubai Aerospace Enterprise is the host sponsor this year. Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi government's investment arm, will also exhibit and several announcements are planned on the company's budding aviation interests.

In addition, this year will see a detailed unveiling of Dubai World Central, the $33 billion, 14-square kilometre aviation hub currently under construction.

"The scale of growth in the show over the past two years - which amounts to some 40 per cent in booked floor space, reflects the growth the Middle East's aviation industry is experiencing across all segments," Shaikh Ahmad said.

Organisers say when the airshow moves into its new grounds at Dubai World Central in 2009, it could grow into the world's largest airshow ahead of Le Bourget in Paris and the Farnborough Airshow in the UK.

He also noted that the aviation service sector was attracting a considerable influx in foreign direct investment and that the training and development of the workforce that will drive the region forward was "moving forward at rapid pace."

This year, the Dubai Airshow has grown by 17 per cent from 2005 in terms of exhibitors, due in part to the 130 newcomers from 24 countries that are showing.

New delegations will be seen from the Cayman Islands, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Luxembourg. There are 11 national pavilions, 91 chalets and 15 outdoor pavilions - up from five in 2005.

National pavilions

National pavilions at the show will represent Austria, Canada, France, Germany, India, Jordan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, the UK and US.

Some of the 140 aircraft on static display will include several new-to-market models, according to organisers. They range from strike fighters to trainers, from VIP business jets to heavy cargo carriers and the latest in the very light jet (VLJ) range.

Other well-known models run the full spectrum of airplane size and agility, from the Airbus A380 superjumbo to the Russian MiG 29 multi-role fighter aircraft.