Dubai Airshow nears sell out

To date some 105 companies from 20 countries have registered to make their Middle East exhibition debut at the show, which runs at the Airport Expo Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from November 11-15.

"The sheer number of newcomers opens up huge business opportunities for the aerospace industry within the Middle East and beyond and many of these new market entrants are looking to gain access to a region which is now widely acknowledged within the industry as being one of the most go-ahead in the world," said Alison Weller, Aerospace Director, F&E. "The diverse profiles of the new entrants offers a wide breadth of opportunity from composite manufacture, to component supply and even space product collaboration.

"This fresh exhibitor influx accounts for at least a tenth of the overall exhibitor profile."

Amongst those lining up for the Dubai Airshow for the first time are: the UAE's own Mubadala Aerospace Division and Falcon Aviation, which supplies point-to-point air services with its helicopter and jet fleet; a string of exhibitors from the USA including Cirrus, which designs, manufactures and markets general aviation composite aircraft and Eclipse, the name behind the very first light jet; Switzerland's Grob Aerospace, one of the world's largest and most experienced composite aircraft manufacturers; Germany's Henkel Aerospace, which makes aerospace structural adhesives; Russia's International Association of Space Activities and Sweden's Volvo Aero, which makes hi-tech components for aircraft rocket engines.

To date, 98% of available floor space at the Dubai Airshow 2007 has been reserved - which accounts for 26% more than for the whole of the 2005 event.

"Demand has been intense with now close to 900 exhibitors registered from 41 countries," explained Weller. "This includes first time participation from the Cayman Islands which will see its government registry take part, Afghanistan, represented by Safi Airways, Luxembourg by maintenance service provider CAE Aviation and the Philippines with Beechcraft spares stockist Aerospace Products International.

"We are still processing a range of enquiries which we believe will ensure the show is fully booked by the end of September," explained Weller.

The show will also feature industry pavilions from 11 nations - Canada, the UK, Austria, Germany, France, The Netherlands, U.S., Ukraine, Russia, Jordan and Sweden.

Heightened international demand for the Dubai Airshow has prompted F&E to design creative floor space solutions to accommodate exhibitors within the space constraints of Airport Expo Dubai. Exhibition hall aisles have been narrowed while outdoor space and stairwells have been used to provide 'pavilion' space.

"We have managed to grow the show within the confines of Airport Expo Dubai but expect expansion to really take off when the event moves to its new purpose-built Dubai Exhibition World site in 2009," said Weller.

Dubai Exhibition World will be at Dubai World Central, the huge urban aviation community currently being built at Jebel Ali, a 30 minutes' drive from Dubai city centre.

The Dubai Airshow is organised by F&E in conjunction with the Department of Civil Aviation, Government of Dubai and in collaboration with the UAE Armed Forces.