Dubai 2001 Airshow, one of the most important aerospace industry events, is expected to attract over 500 international exhibitors and official delegations from over 33 countries.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the president of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and chairman of Emirates Airline, told the Gulf News that “this year’s show will offer a lot of surprises to the region's aviation industry.”
"I promise you, there will be big surprises during this year's airshow," he assured industry officials during an interview with the Air Force Magazine.
The five-day event, which is due to start Sunday, will be distinguished from the previous shows by the huge contracts expected to be signed.
Sheikh Ahmed was quoted by the Gulf News as saying that the "deals are made usually months before the international events.. but both sides usually postpone the announcements for big events like airshows which give the deals and the events more prominence."
The UAE has expressed its deep interest in the Airbus A380, since it can fly up to 7,000 to 9,000 miles without being refueled and has the option for seating between 157 to 300 passengers, which makes it ideal to “serve our future plans,” the Dubai-based paper added.
However, the sheikh said Emirates Airline had sent a delegation to meet with Boeing officials in Seattle in July 2000 and “held fruitful discussions with them on the proposed new aircraft, which we believe, will serve our future plans.”
According to the chairman, Dubai’s Airshow stands among the world's three leading aerospace events: the Farnborough and Le Bourget airshows.
"Since its beginning in 1989, the event has grown from strength to strength," he said.
The biennial event comes under the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai and also the UAE minister of defense, and his directives to build a permanent exhibition facility for the event, at a cost of Dh300 million.
"This comes from Sheikh Mohammad's understanding of the development of international economy and to meet the emirate's future aspiration to become a global hub for specialized exhibitions and international center for neighboring countries.”
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, will attend the inauguration of the airshow, which is due to start on November 4 with the participation of 45 British companies.
The visit will be the first for Prince Andrew to the UAE since he was chosen to lead the British International Trade Organization, a government authority that promotes British investments around the world, said the official Emirates news agency (WAM).
John Yarow, spokesman for the British embassy, said that the aim of Prince Andrew's visit was to support British participation in Dubai Airshow, particularly in these difficult times for world aviation – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
