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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 0414.PDF
Dubai show wins supporters by Ian Goold Widespread support for a Middle East international air show in two years' time has come from companies exhibiting at last month's Dubai '89. Before the five-day event was over, the organisers were taking bookings for a similar regional show in 1991, although no definite decision has been made. The 200 Dubai '89 exhibitors, representing 20 countries, seem in favour of the show, held at Dubai Inter national Airport, praising its atmosphere, organisation, and flying display. Many exhibitors compared the event favourably with Singapore's bienniel Asian Aerospace, now firmly estab lished as the major Pacific Rim show. General Dynamics, which leased the 17th Turkish- assembled F-16 for display at Dubai, found "the display cost, entry price, and [cost of] lodging and transport all reasonable, which they are not in Paris or Farnborough". The US company sees prospective sales of 300 to 400 F-16s in the Gulf region, and will begin producing aircraft for Bahrain in 1990. The major prize is Saudi Arabia's $10 billion requirement to replace its 110 Northrop F-5s. Here the F-16 is competing with the McDonnell Douglas F-18, the European Fighter Aircraft, and Dassault's Rafale. British Aerospace chief exec utive Sir Raymond Lygo rates Dubai '89 an outstanding success. BAe displayed the 125-800 business jet, the 146STA airlifter, the Hawk 200 fighter, and the Harrier GR.5. Abu Dhabi has expressed inter est in the Harrier. BAe has a major Middle East involvement, thanks to the £15 billion sale of Tornadoes, Hawks, trainers, helicopters, airbases, and other equipment to Saudi Arabia and Tornadoes to Jordan. The BAe 146 is competing with the Fokker 100 to equip increasingly competitive Mid dle East airlines as they buy smaller aircraft with which to fly more frequent services and introduce regional routes. Emirates, Gulf Air, and Oman Aviation Services are the major targets at Dubai '89. Fokker was a late exhibitor at Dubai, but was impressed by the The Airbus A320 was among many aircraft exhibited at Dubai '89 General Dynamics is chasing a Middle East market for 300 to 400 F- 16s A Royal Air Force British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier GR.S t display to prospective Gulf customers show's size and the quality of organisation. The company chose the venue for the public launch of its executive Fokker 100, the first example of which has already been delivered. Rolls-Royce could not resist pointing out that almost half of the aircraft in Dubai '89's daily flying display were powered by its engines. The company is bidding to power Westland WS- 70 Black Hawk helicopters for Saudi Arabia with the RTM.322 turboshaft. "We hope to know by mid-year, but [Saudi] prior ities might change. The customer has a lot of decisions to make," says Rolls-Royce Middle East regional executive Tim Jones, in a reference to the still-loosely-defined second phase of the £15 billion Al Yamamah project. Kuwait is also a potential customer. For Aermacchi, Dubai '89 was an opportunity to "get a good feel" for the Middle East market. Displayed daily, its MB.339C advanced jet trainer was expected to tour the Gulf immediately after the show. Mirage or F-16 operators requiring a trainer with soph isticated systems are targeted. Gulfstream Aerospace sees a Gulf market for its GIV-based SRA-4 multimission aircraft. A demonstration tour of the region was completed three months ago, and Gulfstream says that there is a market for up to six aircraft, identifying Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates specifically. A Gulfstream IV business jet was exhibited at the show, and was expected to stay in the region for demonstrations to governments as far east as India. The only corporate jet in the flying display, however, was Canadair's Challenger 3A, making its first Middle East appearance. The aircraft was demonstrated to pilots and executives from Dubai, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. Boeing Middle East aero space vice-president Edward Parazynski found Dubai '89 of real promotion benefit, and thanked the Dubai authorities for supporting "such a risky venture". Boeing Middle East has 350 people based in Riyadh, supporting Saudi air-defence business, and the company is bidding to supply command, control, and communications systems to Gulf countries such as Egypt and Jordan. 20 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 18 February 1989
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