This year’s Dubai Airshow is the largest ever, with almost 900 exhibitors from 50 countries participating - 130 of them new to the region.

It also has the largest ever number of overseas delegates, with top civil and military officials from 77 countries They include defence ministers, air force commanders, transport ministers, heads of airlines and civil aviation authorities and chiefs of staff.
Alison Weller, director of aerospace at Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E), which organises the Dubai Airshow, says: “The geographic reach of the delegations programme is wider than ever, reflecting the growth in the past two years of the Middle East’s aviation reach, with more carriers from more countries now using the UAE as an arrivals and departure base.

“This is particularly good news for this year’s show, which is the largest to date, as Dubai’s delegations programme has also been particularly successful and a key selling point for the event. Through it, exhibitors get to meet the highest level of decision makers in a business setting, something that could take months, if not years, to achieve.

“Our industry-only policy has stood the show in good stead over the years and has helped ensure Dubai maintains its ranking as one of the top three global aerospace events,” says Weller.

The show will feature 11 country pavilions and first-time representation from the Cayman Islands, Afghanistan, represented by Safi Airways; Luxembourg, represented by maintenance service provider CAE Aviation; the Philippines, with Beechcraft spares stockist Aerospace Products International; and Ethiopia, which will be represented by its national carrier.

The Dubai Airshow 2007 static display will host more than 140 aircraft including the Airbus A380, the Cirrus SR22 - the world's fastest-selling, single-engine four-seater aircraft - a Lockheed Martin F-16 and a range of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and business jets.

The Russian MIG 29 multi-role fighter aircraft will also woo visitors, as will three of the world's top aerobatics display team - Britain's Red Arrows, the Patrouille de France, and Spain's Patrulla Aguila, which is making its Arabian Gulf debut.
This is the last Dubai Airshow to be held on the current Dubai Airport Expo site. In 2009 it moves to a purpose-built site at Dubai Exhibition World, which is being built at the huge Dubai World Central aviation complex currently being built at Jebel Ali, 30km outside Dubai city.

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Source: Flight Daily News