All Systems Go For 15th Air Show

- Bikram Vohra

IT HAS COME A long way from that first valiant effort in 1986. Those days the two names on the aviation marquee were Farnborough and le Bourget with Singapore bringing up the also ran position.

Today the Dubai air show ranks right up there with the best of them. In fact, it can be said that the four-day airfest is now considered the benchmark for the industry’s biannual get together. The 15th exhibition, to be held from November 12 to 16 this year at the Dubai World Central, will have more than 1,200 exhibitors - including 100 taking part for the first time – and over 160 aircraft on display during the show.

Among the new dimensions given to the show are the Space Conference and the display of the Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Besides aircraft, the fresh emphasis is also on space exploration and keeping in mind the UAE involvement in the Mars mission this aspect is being given precedence this year. Between that new dimension and the Airport Solutions segment as well as the cargo conference things are certainly going to be exciting. This is the first time in the history of aviation exhibitions that the future is being made the theme of the four-day spectacle. Space exploration, travel and the combination of wanderlust and scientific research will be of the essence.

Of great interest to fans of the Apollo missions will be the presence of Captain Al Worden who piloted Apollo 15 and will be addressing a select audience on his experiences along with an audio visual presentation. Adding another angle to the show is the Gulf Aviation Training Event (GATE) and Futures Day elements. These are designed to encourage the younger generation to step up to the plate and discover career options in the aerospace industry which are now opening up. In sharp contrast is the seminar slated to address the global shortage of flight crew and what needs to be done about it.