Next generation flight technologies most sought-after by global buyers at 9th Airport Show

With total project budgets exceeding $6bn, airport operators from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region are among the leading buyers at the show, the largest industry platform outside Europe. MENASA operators, including airport authorities from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, India and Egypt, are shopping for everything from cargo and baggage screening systems to aircraft parking components.

Saudi's King Abdulaziz International Airport, for example, is currently undergoing a $20bn overhaul aimed at transforming it into the region's second-largest airport by 2035.

Ihsan Sadik from Cairo Airport Company, part of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation, said the Airport Show in Dubai is the largest of the global events for Egyptian airport procurement.

Like many of the buyers at the show, the company, which manages the Cairo International Airport and 19 airports under the Egyptian Airport Company, is prioritizing security and safety, IT systems, infrastructure and cargo solutions on its EGP7.8bn (Dhs5.1bn) shopping list.

"Egypt is launching a new cargo city project and opening a new airport this year so we are anticipating a new runway, air traffic control tower and people mover, among other big-ticket components. In addition to solutions, we are also looking for operators to share experience. We had a very strong response on the first day of the Airport Show alone, with more than 20 valuable meetings, compared to an average of seven or eight daily meetings in previous years,"

he said.

ACR Gulf, who are showcasing both the Brijot Millimeter Wave Passive Imaging System and the System-2 explosives detection kits for the first time in the Middle East, said security solutions are among the most sought-after products for airports around the world.

"Airport security worldwide needs innovation to handle rising passenger numbers and the increased incidence of threats," said Ashley Reeve, Managing Director, ACR Gulf. "Today's solutions are able to screen inbound and outbound traffic and employees efficiently and safely."

The Brijot MMW Passive Imaging System, which creates a two-dimensional silhouette of passengers within seconds, is able to detect all types of contraband including explosives, liquids, gels, currency and narcotics, without infringing on health or privacy concerns. Mobile versions of the system, introduced in March in European airports, paid for themselves within 20 days of installation with the volume of seizures made, Reeve added.

The Brijot system is certified by the Department of Homeland Security in the United States as an Anti-Terrorism device and is currently being evaluated in the Middle East.

Performance-based navigation systems are also among the top priorities for Gulf airport operators limited by airspace restrictions mandated by governments across the region. Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, yesterday said airspace development is the single largest challenge to the growth of aviation in the region. More than 50% of UAE airspace, for example, is controlled by the military.

"By 2025, our biggest challenge will be what we can do in the air to stop the airspace from becoming completely gridlocked," Griffiths said. "Airspace development is not just a Dubai or UAE problem, it's a GCC and regional one: There are at least 13 airports in the region with significant growth aspirations. We are working closely with the General Civil Aviation Authority, but more must be done."

Performance-based navigation and other emerging technological advances will also allow the region's air traffic controllers, airlines and airports to get more out of the current airspace, he added.

Bob Everest, Flight Operations Support, Emirates, said an airspace review is desperately needed for the UAE and the GCC region.

The 9th Dubai Airport Show continues until May 21 at the Dubai Airport Expo. The Future Airports conference, running concurrently with the show, ends today.