The highly anticipated International Paris Air Show has made a grand comeback after a pause forced by the Covid-19 pandemic. Held every two years, this year’s show marks a significant milestone as it resumes after a four-year hiatus since 2019. Organised by SIAE, a subsidiary of GIFAS, the French Aerospace Industries Association, the 54th edition of the Paris Air Show is being held at Le Bourget Parc des Expositions from June 19 to 25, 2023. The first four days are exclusively reserved for trade visitors, followed by three days open to the general public.

The show was only halfway through at the time of this report and already managed to turn heads and garner attention.

BOEING AND AIR INDIA ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE FINALISED AN ORDER FOR UP TO 290 NEW BOEING JETS AND EXPANDED SERVICES;

DASSAULT FALCON 6X MADE FLYING DISPLAY DEBUT AT THE PARIS AIR SHOW.

The show encompassed a wide range of exhibits, including aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, engines, cabin interiors, tools, software, composite materials, transport, services, airport equipment, and more. Attendees will have the chance to witness thrilling flying displays by approximately forty of the most modern aircraft in existence.

Some of the key highlights that took place during the first three days of the show have been listed below.

KEY DISPLAYS

• Some of the highlight displays at the first few days of the Paris Air Show included the Airbus Helicopters H160, Airbus A321XLR, ATR’s 72-600 Turboprop, Boeing 737 MAX 10, Boeing’s Massive 777X, Dassault’s Rafale fighter, and Embraer’s E195-E2.
• Dassault Aviation is presenting its dual civil/military know-how to professionals and the general public at the Paris Air Show. Dassault Falcon 6X made the flying display debut at the Paris Air Show.
• The H665 (formerly EC665) Tigre armed reconnaissance helicopter (ARH) demonstrated its agility at the Paris Air Show. The all-composite aircraft is in service with the French, German, Australian, and Spanish armies.
• The EcoPulse, a hybrid-electric technology demonstrator jointly developed by Daher, Safran, and Airbus made its public debut.
• VoltAero also debuted the first fullscale prototype of its Cassio 330 hybrid-electric aircraft.
• De Havilland Aircraft of Canada (DHC) unveiled a new variant of its turboprop-twin short takeoff and landing (STOL) DHC-6 Twin Otter—the Classic 300-G.
• French aerospace and engineering group Turgis & Gaillard unveiled a new medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV at the Paris Air Show. The company plans to fly the vehicle later this year.

Air India, India’s former national carrier, also firmed up its order for 250 Airbus aircraft

EMBRAER AND LANZHOU AVIATION SIGN LOA FOR 20 EMBRAER P2F CONVERSIONS;

QATAR AIRWAYS GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE, AKBAR AL BAKER UNVEILED THE NEW GULFSTREAM G700 IN THE PRESENCE OF QATAR’S MINISTER OF TRANSPORT.

THE NEXT-GEN FLIGHT

• Volocopter: German aircraft manufacturer, Volocopter and ADAC Luftrettung entered a collaboration partnership, signing two milestone agreements: one to purchase two VoloCity aircraft, and another with the intention of securing 150 additional units of Volocopter’s eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing) as part of this collaboration. Additionally, Groupe ADP & Volocopter, alongside the French Civil Aviation Authority and Paris Region (DGAC), confirmed that the launch of the first eVTOL aircraft services over Paris Region skies for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is on track. During the show, Volocopter also announced the successful conduct of its first flight trials in Saudi Arabia, marking the first time that an eVTOL aircraft received special flight authorisation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Boeing and Akasa Air announced an order for four additional 737-8 jets at the Paris Air Show

• Eve Air Mobility: eVTOL developer, Eve Air Mobility, backed by Embraer, has collected new orders for up to 150 new aircraft. Voar Aviation, a Brazil-based general aviation service provider signed a letter of intent covering the purchase of 70 Eve eVTOL aircraft. Widerøe Zero, the sustainability division of Norwegian airline Widerøe, agreed to purchase up to 50 Eve eVTOLs. Global aircraft leasing firm Nordic Aviation Capital also signed a letter of intent covering the purchase of up to 30 Eve aircraft.
• Boom Aerospace: Boom Aerospace’s Overture supersonic airliner remains on schedule for FAA certification by the end of this decade. Boom announced aerostructures suppliers for Overture 1, the first of its commercial models, and provided an update on the airplane’s homegrown Symphony engine programme, including the naming of a production partner.

MAJOR AEROSPACE PLAYERS BAG LARGE ORDERS

• Embraer: Embraer signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) with Lanzhou Aviation Industry Development Group for 20 E190F and E195F E-Jets Passenger-to-Freight Conversions (P2F). Embraer and Lanzhou intend to cooperate on establishing E190F and E195F conversion capability in Lanzhou, China, which will support and accelerate the introduction of E-Jet first-generation freighters to Chinese market. Embraer and GKN Aerospace also announced a collaboration agreement on hydrogen technological development programmes. Embraer Services & Support also launched the next-generation version of AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis) system, at the Paris Air Show. Embraer also signed a longterm Pool Program services agreement with Star Air to support the airline’s growing E175 fleet. The contract provides access to the Pool Program, which includes component exchanges and repair services for a wide range of repairable components for the airline’s E175s.
• Airbus: Airbus had a soaring start at the Paris Air Show with orders raining in. Air India, India’s former national carrier, has firmed up its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and selected an Airbus maintenance and digital package to power the airline’s transformation and growth strategy. The aircraft order includes 140 A320neo and 70 A321neo single-aisle aircraft as well as 34 A350-1000 and six A350-900 wide-body jets. The airline had signed a Letter of Intent to acquire these aircraft in February 2023.
  India’s low-cost carrier, IndiGo placed a firm order for 500 Airbus A320 Family aircraft. This 500 aircraft order is not only IndiGo’s largest order but also the largest-ever single aircraft purchase by any airline with Airbus. Saudi air carrier, flynas has firmed up an order with Airbus for 30 new A320neo Family aircraft. Australia’s Qantas Group has finalised an incremental order for nine A220-300s, bringing its total backlog for the single-aisle type to 29 aircraft. Philippine Airlines (PAL) has finalised a purchase agreement with Airbus for the firm order of nine A350-1000 longrange aircraft. Avolon, the international leasing company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to order 20 A330neo aircraft. Airbus Helicopters and Europavia SA, a distributor of Airbus helicopters for platforms and services serving Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein, have signed a new purchase contract for six H125 helicopters to be delivered in the following years. Le Havre-Fécamp Pilot Station and Airbus Helicopters have signed a contract for the acquisition of an H135 to be used for marine pilot transfers. Apart from the orders, Airbus UpNext launched a new demonstrator programme to explore, on the ground and in flight, a new architecture for the generation of non-propulsive energy through the use of hydrogen fuel cells.

The EcoPulse, a hybrid-electric technology demonstrator also made its public debut


VOLOCOPTER FLYING DISPLAY AT PARIS AIR SHOW 2023;

EVE AND VOAR AVIATION ANNOUNCED THE SIGNATURE OF A LETTER OF INTENT (LOI) TO EVALUATE THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF 70 EVTOL AIRCRAFT TO DRIVE URBAN AIR MOBILITY.
• Boeing: Boeing’s time at the Paris Air Show has also been exciting. Boeing and Akasa Air announced an order for four additional 737-8 jets at the Paris Air Show. Boeing and Air India announced they have finalised an order for up to 290 new Boeing jets and expanded services. Boeing and Air Lease Corporation announced orders for two 787 Dreamliners. Luxair, the Luxembourgish airline also announced selecting the 737-7 as it continues its single-aisle growth strategy.
  Japan Airlines adopts Boeing Insight Accelerator for 787 Dreamliner fleet. Boeing and Avolon announced an order for 40 737 MAX airplanes. While Boeing and Air Algérie confirmed an order for eight fuel-efficient 737-9 jets at the Air Show. Additionally, Boeing and China Airlines finalised an order for eight 787-9 Dreamliners at the 2023 Paris Air Show. Boeing launched SAF Dashboard, a tool that tracks expected sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) capacity over the next decade. The tool is accessible on Boeing’s new “Sustainable Aerospace Together” hub.
• Gulfstream: As Gulfstream Aerospace heads toward certification of the G700 later this year, international launch customer Qatar Airways unveiled its model in the presence of Qatari dignitaries on the opening day of the Paris Air Show. Additionally, Gulfstream announced the super-midsize Gulfstream G280 has been cleared for operations at France’s Airport of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez located in La Môle. The G280 is on display alongside the Gulfstream G500, Gulfstream G700, and Gulfstream G800 at the 2023 Paris Air Show.
• Monte Aircraft Leasing has now fully committed to purchasing up to 100 of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen fuel cell powertrains to turn its fleet of nine- to 19-seat regional turboprops into more sustainable, hydrogen-powered aircraft.
• United Airlines has selected Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine to power 70 Airbus A321neo and 50 A321XLR firm aircraft orders, the first of which Airbus expects to deliver this year.”

Detailed reports to follow in next issue – 7/2023