Dubai 2005 smashes Dubai air show orders record

In the first three days of the show, which runs until November 24, sales worth US $ 20.6 billion were announced - topping the previous Dubai 2001 record by over US $5 billion.

"Announcements have come from Emirates airline, private Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines, Boeing and International Lease Finance Corporation, Low Cost Aircraft Leasing, Airbus, Sukhoi and Northrop Grumman,"

explained Alison Weller, Director Aerospace, Fairs & Exhibitions (F&E), which organises the Dubai air show.

"In addition there have been literally scores of announcements of new facilities, services, joint ventures and the launch of a low cost carrier for Saudi Arabia - it has been an extremely focused business show."

The latest contract to be announced came from Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company, which took an international launch customer order worth approximately US $1 billion at list prices for 20 firm RRJ95 aircraft and 20 options from Concord Aviation, a start-up leasing company in Dubai.

"This is a real breakthrough which enables our Russian Regional Jet programme to open up new markets," said Victor Subbotin, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Director General. "We truly believe that the Middle East countries hold out thrilling prospects for the new RRJ family."

Today also saw International Lease Finance Corporation, the world's largest commercial leasing company, sign a contract with Airbus for 12 new A350 aircraft.

Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman Corporation today revealed it has been selected for a contract valued at more than US $230 million to update Jordan's national command, control, communications and intelligence (C41) networks with state-of-the-art systems.

The multi-phase, five-year effort will modernise the Jordanian armed forces' communications and information technology networks and help secure the Kingdom against external threats to its borders.

The contract announcement was made at the show by HRH Prince Feisal Bin Hussein, Lieutenant General and Assistant Chief of Staff of the Jordan Armed Forces and Dr. Joseph Moynihan and Ahmed Selim of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.

And the brisk business pace of Dubai 2005's third day continued with the news that Emirates airline signed a new contract with Hong Kong Aero Engine Services Limited and Singapore Aero Engine Services Limited for the ongoing maintenance and repair of Rolls-Royce Trent aircraft engines within its fleet. The new contract, potentially worth US $600 million, will cover the maintenance of all Emirates' Trent 500, Trent 700 and Trent 800 engines for the next three years.

And all the signs are that the Dubai 2005 sales tally will rise even further with Jordan's Seabird Aviation saying it hopes to announce aircraft sales this Thursday on completion of negotiations with a private buyer.

And the show's reputation as a high profile public relations forum has been underlined by Jebel Ali Airport City (JAAC) which used Dubai 2005 for its international launch.

Directors of JAAC, a pioneering concept in the urban planning of large airports, say they have been inundated with requests for meetings and detailed information about the visionary 140 square kilometre development following the Dubai 2005 launch.

"Since our news hit the local, regional and international media, we have received massive interest from the UAE and throughout the Middle East from a diverse industry portfolio spanning the logistics, real estate, aviation, training and ground-handling sectors," said Abdulla AlFalasi, Director of Corporate Communications, JAAC.

Dubai 2005 is the largest Dubai air show to date with some 726 exhibitors from 46 countries, 15 national pavilions and over 100 aircraft on static display, including around 40 business jets. For the first time the show features specialised pavilions for the training & simulation and unmanned aerial vehicles sectors.

Airport Expo Dubai was expanded to include a third exhibition hall - Central Hall - to cope with increased exhibitor demand. Central Hall provided an additional 10,000 square metres of exhibition space.

Meanwhile bookings have already taken off for Dubai 2007, the tenth, international aerospace exhibition, which will be held at the Airport Expo from November 11-15, 2007. Sweden's Saab AB, the major defence company in northern Europe, was the first to sign for Dubai 2007.

"There has been intense interest," said Weller, "with many companies looking to increase their stand sizes for 2007."