Laura Hailstone/LONDON
The only major international air show next year is the biennial Paris Air Show, which runs from 17-24 June. The premier aerospace event will have a lot to live up to after the success of this year's Farnborough, which created more than $50 billion in sales and saw the first commitments for the Airbus Industrie A3XX.
The regional air show calendar is very busy, with nearly every area of the world hosting an event. Next year is a special one for Australia, which is hosting the Australian International Airshow, the country's first airshow of the new millennium. This will be of particular significance as it will commemorate the Centenary of Australian Federation and mark the 80th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force. Highlights of the six-day event include a celebration of the development of flight during the 20th Century and an exploration of the possibilities for this century plus a focus on the technologies that will shape the future of the Asia Pacific region, including a conference and exhibition on unmanned systems. The biennial Aero India show will take place in February - previously it has been held in December - and besides being the forum for the fast-developing Indian aerospace industry, could see a demonstration of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft.
Another diary change is the annual National Business Aircraft Association show, which has been moved from its regular October position to September. Also for the diary are a host of events to reflect the fast-developing freight business worldwide, while conferences and symposia dedicated to aviation safety continue to proliferate.
Source: Flight International