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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2592.PDF
^J l»% f%% N preview DUBAI TO ALL THAT This year's Dubai air show will see a return of exhibitors that deserted the event suddenly two years ago after 11 September. Will the region's resurgent prosperity and ambitions translate to orders? MURDO MORRISON / LONDON n summer 2001, organisers were poised for the most successful Dubai air show yet. The region's airline sec tor was booming, with Emirates at the vanguard; business aviation buoy ant and defence manufacturers looking forward to contesting lucrative procure ment contests. Then came 11 September, followed by Afghanistan. Panicked by security worries and the prospect of shriv elling marketing budgets, several high- profile exhibitors pulled out at short notice. They included Gulfstream, Honey well, Rockwell Collins, Smiths and TAG. Many more reduced their presence, either in terms of personnel or stand size. Despite organisers' attempts to present a defiant "business as usual" message, the absence of so many big names hit the show badly. "It hurt," says Clive Richardson, chief executive of Fairs & Exhibitions, which runs Dubai. This year, these exhibitors are back. The relative success of the 2001 event against the odds meant "a lot of companies realised they had made a mistake", says Richardson. Although Dubai is not a big orders show, it is the main chance for the world's aerospace companies to oil rela tionships with the region's movers and shakers, and many locals regarded the decisions to stay away - often taken in boardrooms against the wishes of staff on the ground - as a slap in the face. Says one industry veteran: "Memories are long in that part of the world. There is a lot of bridge-building to be done." The eighth show, which takes place at Dubai's Airport Expo on 7-11 December, has been the fastest-selling, says Richardson. So far 83 chalets have been reserved, compared with around 60 for the previous two shows. Exhibition floorspace and the static display will be at least the same size as 1999, previously the record holder. A flurry of activity in the Gulf's air transport and business aviation sectors is fuelling much of the demand, says Richardson. Although consolidation among the region's flag carriers seems inevitable, for now, Gulf Air, Emirates and Qatar Airways are bullish about growth. Several start-up airlines have also declared their hand, including Sharjah's Air Arabia and Abu Dhabi's Etihad, both from the United Arab Emirates, and Menajet, a low- cost carrier owned by Bahraini and Saudi investors. One of Emirates' just-delivered A340-500s will be on Airbus's static display, while the manufacturer will fly one of its A340-600s, of which Emirates has ordered 18. Boeing will show its 777-300. In business aviation, several ventures have launched, including Royal Jet, an Abu Dhabi-based executive charter company, which began operations in May and is launch operator for Gulfstream's G300. The opportunity in business aviation is reflected in the number of aircraft likely to make an appearance. They include five business jets from Bombardier (which is also taking the CRJ900 regional jet): the Challenger 300 and 604, Learjet 45XR and 60, the Global Express and a mock-up of the Global 5000. Embraer will have two Legacy business jets on its static display. Gulfstream, absent in 2001, will be display ing the G200, G300 and G550, while 28 11-17 NOVEMBER 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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