Le ciel fantastique

The 47th International Paris Air Show brought billions of dollars into the aviation business and even promises space tourism. Amirah Ibrahim attended at Le Bourget Airport

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Le Bourget Air Show set new records and attracted the superrich as well as the public in search of personal toys

It was in 1908 when an aircraft exhibition was held as part of the second Paris Automobile Show at the Grand Palais near the Champs Elysees. The next year, the exhibition was devoted entirely to aircraft and was held annually until 1924 with a break between 1913-1919 during World War I. In 1951 Le Bourget became France's second airport, specialised in business aviation, and became the avenue for the Paris air show.

This year, the 47th international Paris Air Show, brought billions of dollars in contracts and set new records of visitors and exhibitors just before it celebrates its centenary in 2009. The official opening was attended by French Prime Minister François Fillon, while France's new President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the show and delivered an official speech on both business and politics. Some 2,000 exhibitors from 42 countries came to Le Bourget with their products, samples and of course planes -- 140 aircraft were on display, including over 40 in the flying display.

"This year's show has benefited from a favourable economic environment as order announcements have shown," explained Louis le Portz, general commissioner of the show. "There was a strong demand from prime contractors and SMEs for the show's new B2B meetings service with 5,000 trade visitors taking part in more than 6,000 meetings and talks on business and technology forums over three days," he told the press at the end of the show.

The 2007 show drew some 400,000 visitors and was hailed as a vintage year at a time when the air travel industry is booming. The show set a new record with more than 153,920 trade visitors -- 12 per cent more than Le Bourget 2005. According to the organisers, the French Aeronautical and Space Industries GIFAS, 40 transport, civil aviation delegations from 20 countries contributed to the show. Australia, Lithuania, Libya Mexico and Tunisia attended for the first time.

Egypt's Aviation Minister Ahmed Shafiq headed an official delegation to the show that included ministry assistant Mohamed El-Kurdi, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, Ihab Sadeq, EgyptAir Express Chief Mohamed Hassan, and Airports Company Deputy Mohamed Zamzam.

"We are here at the Paris Air Show to boost our contacts with partners in the industry and business as well," Shafiq told Al-Ahram Weekly at Le Bourget. "Egypt has recently started participating in the air show business, establishing its own at Sharm El-Sheikh, Avex, and thus we should follow every single development in the field," he added. Egypt's Avex started in 2005 and again in 2006, and is scheduled to take place in 2008.

The Egyptian delegation's agenda over the five days included B2B meetings with plane makers and developers of aviation technologies. "We are working to modernise our air transport fleet as we now have many airlines affiliated to the state. In addition to the national carrier EgyptAir, we have established a domestic airline Express, a charter airline Air Cairo and private jets airline Smart Aviation."

EgyptAir Express's new Embrair aircraft was displayed at Le Bourget for three days. "The manufacturer suggested to display the aircraft with our flag on its flight from Brazil to Cairo," commented EgyptAir Express Chief Mohamed Hassan. "It is our third aircraft of six Embrair ER we ordered to operate on domestic and regional routes. The other three aircraft will be received over the next three months," Hassan added. Express airline started operation in June with flights to Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada and Luxor. By October it will start operation to a number of Arab destinations.

As for big deals, the world's largest maker of commercial aircraft Airbus broke records at the 47th Paris air show with a haul of 728 orders allowing it to nose past its rival Boeing. Airbus achieved 425 firm orders and 303 options for a list price of $98 billion.

Boeing announced one order at the show from ILFC group to purchase 50 of its new 787 dreamliner. The deal increased the total a year before the plane takes to the sky to 634 planes.

The competition between the two companies for customers for the A350 and the 787 is at the heart of the long-running rivalry between them.

This year's event, however, has not just been about selling Boeing's dreamliner and Airbus's competing A350. In fact, the show proved to be a celebration of aerospace, offering the public the opportunity to see the latest models on display and in flight. Dozens strained their necks to watch acrobatic manoeuvrings by small planes during the first days. The last three days were opened for the public and the main road from Paris to CDG airport witnessed long queues of cars heading to Le Bourget from early morning. Official souvenir shops located around the display ground and inside halls offered visitors caps with the official slogan for 20 euros or Polo shirts for 35 euros.

To enrich the visitors' information about aviation, the Air and Space Museum at Le Bourget is hosting a temporary exhibition till August on the strategic role of aviation in WW I. The ruthlessness of this war combined with a Franco-German battle for industrial supremacy in the race to produce the most powerful aircraft.

The super-rich businessmen and famous movie stars got their personal invitations to the small airport at Le Bourget searching for their favourite toys. Russian billionaire Roman Ambramovich, owner of the Chelsea football team, was reported to have visited the show and purchased a personal jet. Despite delays at the Superjumbo A380, the plane maker negotiated with some businessmen to buy private superjumbos. According to Airbus Commercial Director John Leahy, no one has signed a deal yet, but the company is hoping for one by the end of the year.

Hollywood star John Travolta became the first non-test pilot to fly the new A380 at Le Bourget. The actor who is a qualified pilot and flies during filming and family vacations was very excited. "It was a moment of history. It was fantastic. It is very easy to fly. It is very forgiving," he was quoted at the show. Travolta however denied he was planning to buy a private A380 for himself as he already has enough planes.

For those who are fond of exploring beyond the Earth's atmosphere, the European aerospace company EADS unveiled a model of a space jet designed to take tourists into space. The space jet would rocket passengers to weightlessness but only for three minutes at a cost of $199,000-$265,000.

EADS Astrium joins entrepreneurs including British billionaire Richard Branson and they hope to develop a space tourism industry. The first rocket plane could take off in 2012.

In 2001, Denis Tito became the first space tourist when he jetted up to the international space station paying some $20 million.

The Paris show allowed the European satellite launcher Arainspace to bolster its position as a leading company in the field, signing a multi-launch framework agreement with SES, a leading space communication operator. Arianspace will be providing for one or two satellite launches a year for a period of five years.

Arianspace has ordered 35 top range Ariane 5 ECA rockets from EADS Astrium.

Airbus smiles again

Airbus is back on track, just as every one expected, even their rival Boeing. For the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, Le Bourget represented the best show ever recorded by a plane maker, thanks primarily to Arab carriers that performed a successful rescue mission to the European troubled company.

Over the last three years, Airbus's skies were cloudy with delays to the Superjumbo A380 and the negative impact of the Power 8 restructuring plan, which calls for 10,000 jobs to be axed at six Airbus plants in Europe.

There was a dispute between the main two partners, France and Germany, over the possible sale of a 46.3 per cent stake in France's Dassault Aviation.

As of the end of May, Airbus was behind Boeing this year by a considerable margin, having booked 201 firm orders compared with Boeing's 417.

At Le Bourget this year, the sky smiled once again on Airbus as Arab customers gave all their new purchasing contracts to Airbus planes. The only Middle East contract that went to Boeing was an agreement to advise Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE, on developing their aerospace industries.

Out of $98 billion contracts that went to Airbus at Le bourget, it got firmed contracts from airlines or leasing companies based in Arab countries for aircraft at a value of $24 billion, and commitments for planes worth $47.3 billion. A redesign of the planned 250-350 seat A350 model helped Airbus beat Boeing in orders at the show. The new design, a wide body allowing more comfortable seats, made the A350 a strong competitor to the Boeing Dreamliner 787.

Arab customers were long targeted by the two key players, Airbus and Boeing, as well as Canadian and Brazilian manufacturers Bombardier and Embrair. According to the Arab Air Carrier, AACO, Arab airlines are expected to increase their combined fleet by almost two-thirds from 550 planes in 2006 to 900 planes by 2015.

Gulf flag carrier Qatar Airways signed the biggest Arab order for $17 billion. The contract included purchasing 80 of the new Airbus A350 XWB and three superjumbo A380s. Deliveries will begin in 2013, the year the model starts commercial service, and five years after its competitor 787 begins commercial service.

The A350 contract has certainly put the Qatari carrier at the top of the customer list but it also raised question as to whether the carrier is taking a big risk, as it could have just bought well-known alternative Boeing dreamliner 787.

United Arab Emirates carriers came next with Etihad airline ordering 12 Airbus aircraft at $2.2 billion. The contract included purchasing five A330-200s, four A340-600s and three cargo A330s. Etihad Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Seif Al Nahayan justified the deal, which expanded the carrier's fleet to 40 aircraft, as helping to expand their current network, which covers 43 destinations. The new planes will join the airline between 2008 and 2011. The airline also modified the delivery schedule for its four A380s from 2009 to 2013.

Emirates Airline surprised the event with an order of more eight Superjumbo A380s which increased its total purchase of the world's biggest aircraft to 55. The $2.6 billion deal makes the carrier the biggest customer of the controversial aircraft.

The Kuwaiti low-cost carrier Al-Jazeerah, signed a $2.1 billion contract with Airbus to purchase 30 medium range A320s as part of the plan to double the fleet consisting of five A320s with six more on order. Observers considered the deal as to boost the carrier's expansion plans in the region, particularly since it has recently established its second base in Dubai's Jabal Ali International Airport.

Libyan carrier Afriqiyah Airways added to Airbus's record breaking $1.2 billion contract by purchasing five A320s and pledging to purchase six A350s at $1.6 billion. Libyan Airlines pledged to buy 15 planes, including seven A320s, four A330-200s and four A350s worth $42 billion.

Airbus also won orders from Kuwait's Aviation Lease and Finance Co ALFCO, for 12 A350s and seven A320s, valued at a total of $2.9 billion. The Tunisian carrier Nouvelaire signed a firm order for two A320s for a list price of $146 million.

The Saudi National Air Services, NAS, a Riyadh-based private aircraft operator with a fleet of more than 47 planes, pledged to buy 20 A320-series airliners valued at about $1.5 billion.

Singapore-based Tiger Airways ordered 30 A320s and took options for another 20 for a total cost of $2.2 billion. Jakarta-based Mandala Airline ordered 25 A320 aircraft with options for five more for $1.9 billion. Many airlines signed memorandums of understanding with airbus to acquire new purchases. This included Hong Kong Airlines which will acquire 30 A320s and 20 A330s, Russian carrier Ural Airlines for five A320s, and Colombia's flag carrier Avianca which ordered 19 aircraft.

A superjumbo star

EVEN the rain at Le Bourget airport couldn't dampen the excitement at the unveiling of the new superjumbo star that attracted industry partners and tourists to the air show. The A380 has its first delivery scheduled for October 2007 when the Malaysian Airline gets its first order. It will be the most advanced and spacious plane and the largest civil transport aircraft ever, carrying 40 per cent more passengers than the 747-400 with more leg room and open space in every class.

It offers a new way of flying to passengers on major long-haul routes like London-Singapore or Cairo- Tokyo. With air travel expected to continue growing, the superjumbo will help to ease congestion by transporting 525 passengers.

Major airlines operating the world's long haul routes see the superjumbo as the solution to their changing market requirements, as it gives flexibility to install lower density seating without reducing the number of seats available in the market.

According to Airbus Commercial Manager John Leahy, the company designed the A380 in collaboration with some 60 major airports. "More than 70 airports around the world will be ready for A380 operations by 2011, with major hubs such as Frankfurt, Paris CDG, and London's Heathrow geared up for the A380's entry into service in 2007." The superjumbo has already visited 40 airports during its test programme, starting with Frankfurt airport in late October 2005. Recently the A380 completed tour to India and the Asia-Pacific region.

"Such tests proved that despite the impressive size of the A380, boarding the double-decker will take no longer than existing large aircraft," explained Leahy.

Environmental constraints are another operational factor largely resolved by the A380 being designed with the stringent noise and pollution controls of modern airports in mind. Despite the fact that it carries more passengers, it produces half the noise energy of its rival. Current orders rose from 14 customer ordering 160 A380s before the show to 16 customers ordering 173 A380s.

New military planes hit the skies

WHILE Europe and the US are the key players in the civil aviation industry, things are different in the military aviation industry where Russia is the main rival to the US. Despite the large number of participants to the event's activities, the list of fighter plane manufacturers only contained 13 exhibitors. According to organisers, however, 150 official defence delegations from 60 countries attended.

France topped the list with regard to the number of military companies participating. Visitors to the military section were excited to have the chance to see the Mirage 2000 and Mirage F1C that participated for the first time at such a show.

The US came next with the F18, F15E, Hercules C130G, Hooker 4000, and Hooker 850 XP. The Spying Global Hawks attracted the attention of the majority of visitors at Le Bourget, with their spooky look and amazing ability to fly at very high altitudes as well as their ability to define targets on the ground and their actual size. Unmanned helicopters were also popular. One of the most attractive items displayed was the Micro Air Vehicle from Honeywell Aerospace. It is a remote-controlled vehicle designed to fit in a backpack and designed to fly over a battlefield and spot hidden bombs using infrared sensors.

Britain only participated with its Hook fighter. The list included also Russia, Spain, India, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Germany, Italy, Ukraine and Israel, which had a large pavilion that highlighted its unmanned planes and spying industries. Arab pavilions on the contrary were limited and only focussed on civil aviation.

Russia pushed its MIG 29M to compete strongly to win new orders. The MIG-29 MOVT performed strongly during the air show displaying its marvellous manoeuvring fighting ability.

The MIG-35, an export version of the MIG-29M OVT, won high acclaim during the show and apparently attracted the Indian government, which completed the preparation for its largest-ever international defence tender to acquire 126 multi-role combat aircraft, estimated at $7 billion.

On the other hand, Russian fighter jet giant Sukhoi, won its first foreign customer at the show for its civilian superjet, announcing a 20-plane deal with regional carrier Italy Airlines for a total value of $283 million. Delivery of the first 10 planes will be in 2009.

France and Germany signed a declaration of interest with a view to launching a joint military heavy transport helicopter project that should enter service by 2020. Both countries along with Spain signed a technical agreement for a project to manufacture an advanced intelligence unmanned drone.