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  Last year saw the biggest and most successful Dubai Air Show ever. Considering that the event caters to the world’s fastest growing aviation sector, there is a little wonder on why a record number gathered at the event’s purpose-built venue and why the five day event in November is now giving the world’s top two such exhibitions, held in Farnborough and Le Bourget, a run for their money.

  The Dubai Air Show 2005 was 25 per cent larger in terms of exhibitor line-up and space and 60 per cent larger in terms of the flying display. The show, which ran from November 20 at the Airport Expo Dubai, attracted a record number of 35,000 aviation industry professionals as visitors. The figure, announced by British-based organiser, Fairs & Exhibitions, shows an increase of 7,000 visitors compared to Dubai 2003. Moreover, organisers said the record number is 5,000 more than what even they had anticipated.

  The bi-annual event is organised in cooperation with the Government of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Dubai International Airport and in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, inaugurated the show on the 20th November. He climbed aboard an Airbus A380 super jumbo, accompanied by Airbus chief executive officer, Gustav Humbert and the head of parent company EADS, Noel Forgeard.

  In terms of exhibitors, there is a similar success story as the 2005 show was the largest in the event’s history. There were altogether 726 exhibitors from 46 countries, which represented an increase of 25 per cent on the previous exhibition, Dubai 2003. For the first time in its history, the show spread to a third hall at the Airport Expo and it featured 15 national pavilions, bringing some of the aviation industry’s giants such as Airbus, Boeing and the Lockheed Martin Corporation. The broad exhibitor base meant major aviation industry players from around the Gulf region such as Emirates Airline, Qatar Airways and the Bahrain Executive Air Services (BEXAIR), who were visiting the show, had the chance to review over 100 models of aircraft, including 40 business jets. 

  Perhaps the strongest sign of the event’s success this year is the value of on-site order sales announced by exhibitors, which reached a record US$21.3 billion. Just in the fist day of the show, the announcements made more than doubled the value of all deals announced at the event two years ago. Orders for airplane giants Airbus and Boeing, accounted for the bulk of the figure with more than US$15 billion worth of new business going over to the two rival manufacturers.

  It was a very successful show for the US manufacturer Boeing, which landed it’s biggest-ever order from the region. The massive Dh52.6-billion order was announced in the opening day of the show and is one of the biggest for the airline in recent years. The deal was signed by Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, who is also President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, and James McNearey, Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. The signing ceremony was also attended by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister.

  Under the deal’s terms, Boeing will be supplying Emirates Airline with 42 planes worth US$9.7 billion. The order for the wide-bodied 777 planes includes ten 777-200LR, 24 777-300ER, and eight aircraft of the 777 freighter version. Emirates also took purchase rights for a further 20 of the planes, which could add more than US$4 billion to the deal.

  For Emirates Airline, the massive deal would mean cheaper air fares, access to new desttinations and hundreds of new jobs. The order was step in a strategy to double the airline’s fleet in the next three years, Sheikh Mohammed told repoerters present at the cigning ceremony. The deal means Emirates can reach virtually any point on the globe with America, the whole of Asia and New Zealand reachable without stop-overs, said Emirates president Tim Clark. He was also quoted as saying that the company would be using the new Boeing aircraft to service passengers flying from Latin America to Asia.  Emirates was yet to decide between the Airbus A350 and rival Boeing 787 in its hunt for smaller, mid-sized planes.

  Airbus, announced a US$2.9 billion order for twelve A350s from Kuwait-based lesser Alafco. An additional six more planes could be ordered later, it was announced. The European giant also landed a deal for six narrow-bodied A320 planes with Kuwait-based airline Jazeera Airways.

  The Bahrain Executive Air Services Company (BEXAIR) used the Dubai Air Show to announce a US$24 million deal to add two new Citation XLS aircraft to its fleet. BEXAIR also used the show to sign a memorandum of understanding with Canada's Star Navigation Systems Group for the sale and installation of its flagship In-flight Safety Monitoring System (ISMS) for the company's entire aircraft fleet.

  The Dubai Air Show 2005 is the fastest growing air show in the fastest growing aviation industry, Sheikh Ahmed was quoted as saying. A long cry from 1989, when the show’s first issue took a whopping 45 days to organise. Currenlty the third largest event of its kind, it can potentially become the second largest in 2007, when exhibitors expect to reach a new record. Organisers have said the next exhibition would be considerably larger, while the entire exhibition would be moved to the new Jebel Ali International Airport by 2009.

  The success of the Dubai Air Show is driven by the succes of the emirate’s carrier Emirates Airline and reflects Dubai’s importance as a transportation, commercial and tourism hub in the region.

  With a fleet of 132 aircraft, worht Dh137.6 billion, Emirates is the world’s fastest growing airline. Scheduled to receive the first batch of the A380 superjumbo by April next year, the airline would have the ability to reach virtually any point on the planet, servicing a staggering number of destinations. This is an amazing achievement for the ariline, which was founded a little over than 20 years ago and started operations in October 1985. According to press reports, for 2004-05, Emirates paid an increased dividend of Dh368 million to the Government of Dubai, compared to Dh329 million last year. In total, the ownership received Dh1.1 billion from Emirates since dividends started being paid six years ago.

  The healthy growth of the airline is one reason behind the record growth witnessed by the Dubai International Airport, which is considered to be the Middle East’s busiest. A total of 21.7 million passengers went through the airport in 2004, registering a 20.2 per cent increase on 2003. Cargo movement registered an 18.26 per cent growth in 2004 compared to the previous year with total freight movement of 1,111,647 tonnes in 2004. The ACI traffic statistics have ranked the Dubai International Airport as one of the fastest growing in the world. At present, the airport has a capacity to handle 22 million passengers per year, while after its ambitious US$4.1 billion upgrade, it would have a capacity of 70 million passengers per year.

  Besides Emirates Airline, big players such as Qatar Airways and Ittihad Airline are also contributing to the phenomenal growth witnessed by the Middle Eats aviation sector. Their dynamic growth means good years are to come for the region’s premier industry event – the Dubai Air Show.

History of the Dubai Air Show

1989: In its inaugural year, the Dubai Air Show covered 7,000 square metres at Dubai International Airport. The event took off successfully with 200 exhibitors, 25 aircraft on display and 10,000 industry visitors.

1991: Following the success of the inaugural event, the show featured twice the number of exhibitors – 400 companies from 40 countries, showcasing 67 aircraft.

1993: The growth pattern continued as new aviation industry players were looking to penetrate the Middle East market. The show spread to 28,000 square metres, attracting 450 axhibitors and 20,000 industry visitors.

1995: Some 500 companies from 24 countries exhibited at the show, which saw 25,000 aviation industry visitors.

1997: The exhibitor count was similar to the one two years ago – 500 companies from 31 countries attended.

2000: Although held in November 1999, the show was billed as Dubai 2000 because it was the last major air show before the turn of the millennium. The show moved to its purpose-built home at the Airport Expo Dubai, where, organizers say, the available facilities surpass those available in Le Bourget, Farnborough and Singapore – Dubai’s main rivals. The show featured 500 exhibitors from 37 countries and attracted 30,000 trade visitors. Top-rank military and civil delegations from over 50 countries as well as more than 400 media attended the show.

2001: The show rose against industry downturn following the terrorist attacks on New York City on September 11. Specialised industry conferences on finance and IT in the sector were held to attract more industry attention. Some 80 civil aviation authorities attended, including a first-time delegation by a Swedish group, and Italy’s Frecce Tricolori joined the flying displays.

2003: Some 550 exhibitors showcased their products at the event. For the first time a helicopter pavilion was added to the line-up and 85 aircraft were on show. More than 350 VIP delegates from 84 countries attended the event and its massively extended conference programme, which included the first Dubai Aviation Forum and First Middle East Air Chief’s Conference.

Dubai 2005: The show surpassed all previous records with 726 exhibitors from 46 countries attending.

In the future: Organisers have said the next exhibition would be considerably larger, while the entire exhibition would be moved to the new Jebel Ali International Airport by 2009.