The 2013 Paris Air Show will once again act as a catalyst for international partnerships, serve as a networking platform for industry decision-makers and an ideal place to exhibit, sell and buy latest products and solutions

Newer technological breakthroughs, raining orders, trade pacts and much more—the Le Bourget airport in north Paris witnessed major aircraft sales and showcases of innovative prototypes during the International Paris Air Show 2011. While Airbus made a record breaking $72.2 billion (about Rs. 4,00,000 crore) business with a total of 730 aircraft orders, including orders from Indian low-cost airline IndiGo and the Malaysian lowcost pioneer AirAsia. Visitors to the show had the delight to see the solar power airplane ‘Solar Impulse’ throughout the week.

The world’s leading tourism destination and once famous as the centre of education, La Ville-Lumière, the city of light, Paris, has once again geared up to play host to several aviation professionals, experts, technocrats, defence personnel, political leaders, and decision-makers from across the world for the 50th Paris Air Show 2013 to be held from June 17 to 23.

Since its inception in 1908 as an aircraft exhibition held as part of the 2nd Paris Automobile Show, organised at the Grand-Palais near the Champs-Élysées, the show has over the years continued to grow as the world’s leading civil and military aviation event. With the US companies playing a low key this time, this year’s show does not appear to be as grand as the 2011 show especially with regard to major announcements to be made. However, despite the economic slowdown, the show this time will once again act as a catalyst for international partnerships, serve as a networking platform for industry decision-makers and an ideal place to exhibit, sell and buy latest products and solutions.

“With a full complement of exhibitors, the 50th Paris Air Show promises to be a resounding success. This is a reflection of the booming aerospace industry and confirms our position as the world’s leading air show,” says Emeric d’Arcimoles, Commissaire Général of the International Paris Air Show. According to the organisers, about €50 million have been invested in infrastructure at the Le Bourget Exhibition Centre and €4 million in renovating the 350 business chalets. The show will bring together 2,215 exhibitors, 3,51,000 trade and public visitors and 290 international delegations.

Looking Back

After the debut in 1908, the first exhibition devoted entirely to aircraft was organised at the Grand-Palais by André Granet and Robert Esnault-Pelterie in 1909. In 1924, the show for the first time had foreign exhibitors and since then was held every two years except a break during World War II.

The 2011 Show

The 49th Paris Air Show was inaugurated by the then French President Nicolas Sarkozy and was attended by Prime Minister François Fillon and eleven French Ministers and Secretaries of State. There were at least 290 official delegations from 82 countries among which were 64 institutional delegations, 97 from embassies and 64 from the DGAC (Civil Aviation General Directorate). Over 2,100 exhibiting companies and about 1,51,000 professional visitors from around the globe were involved.

While during the show in 2011, India was awaiting the selection of the lowest bidder in the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender, in 2013, the country is still waiting for the contract to be inked with Dassault Aviation.

2013 Logbook

More than 40 aircraft will be participating in the daily flying displays scheduled from 1230 to 1630 hours and which will be projected onto giant screens. The Su-35 will be making its international debut during the show, along with Yak-130 trainer and Antonov AN-70 from the Ukraine. The military helicopters likely to participate in the air show are the Eurocopter EC665 Tigre ALAT, NH Industries NH90, Bell 407GT, AgustaWestland AW149/159 models and the Russian KA-52 ‘Alligator’ gunship. Two Boeing 787 Dreamliners are also likely to be on flying display.

After the French pavilion, which will occupy the largest space at the show, will be the US pavilion spread over 4,100 square metres. But there are reports that Israeli companies are reducing the size of their delegations, sales representatives and executives to the show. Northrop Grumman this year will once again be absent from the show. The much expected Lockheed Martin F-35 might also not be seen this year and so could Boeing’s F-15, F/A-18E/F and the C-17. On the other hand, there will be newcomers like Lacroix Electronics which will be exhibiting for the first time its know-how as a provider of electronics manufacturing services and its assets on the aerospace and defence market. A total of seven regional airliner manufacturers will be seen, including newcomers such as China’s Comac (with its delayed ARJ21 development), Russia’s Irkut (MS-21) and Mitsubishi. Dassault, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Embraer will be the stars of the business aviation sector at the show.

Embraer Commercial Aviation will show the ERJ 135 regional jet and the Embraer 190 jet from Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana, and for the first time, Embraer Defense & Security will showcase the Super Tucano from the Mauritanian Air Force.

An A400M to be delivered to the French Air Force and an A380 to be delivered to the British Airways will be seen both on static and flying displays. Various commercial aircraft from Airbus will be delivered to customers during the show, including Sharklet equipped A320s, an A330 and the 100th Airbus Military C295. An Airbus ACJ318 which has the widest and tallest cabin of any business jet will also be on static display. A full life-size A350 XWB cockpit and cabin section can be walked through at the EADS pavilion. The latest developments in new energies can be viewed at the dedicated “Alternative Fuels” pavilion. Commercial announcements are also likely to be made during the week.

Bombadier will showcase the Global 6000, Q400 NextGen turboprop and the CRJ1000 NextGen jet. Visitors will also be able to see the mock-up of the recently launched Challenger 350 business jet and the CSeries pavilion, dedicated to Bombardier’s all-new CS100 and CS300 commercial aircraft. On the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) annual general assembly in Cape Town, South Africa, Bombardier’s Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing Chet Fuller said, “Bombardier is guardedly optimistic. about being able to announce new sales for its CSeries narrow body family at the Paris Air Show.”

MBDA’s air launched weapons will be the prominent feature and many of the products on display will be of direct interest to India and in particular to the Indian Air Force (IAF), especially with the planned upgrades of the Mirage and Jaguar fleets and weapons for the MMRCA. The company’s stand will show the full complement of weapon systems capable of optimising the IAF’s operational capabilities across their multitude of missions. Both IR and RF versions of the MICA ordered for the IAF’s Mirage upgrade will be on the stand to highlight the advantages offered by this weapon. The weapon features two interoperable seekers which will enable the IAF’s Mirages to cover the full air combat spectrum from short range combat to beyond visual range intercept.

Also on display will be the Meteor, the visual range air-toair missile; Brimstone, long range cruise missile Storm Shadow/SCALP and Taurus KEPD 350 etc. Displayed for the first time will be MBDA’s SPEAR missile. Also will be the latest version of Milan anti-armour weapon, MBDA’s PARS 3 LR weapon which was shown at Aero India. Promoted in India for the Rudra (ALH Dhruv WSI), PARS 3 LR is already in service in Germany on its Tiger helicopters. In the ground and naval based air defence category will be the Maitri or SR-SAM which is being offered to the Indian Army to meet its VSHORAD requirement.

Russian Delights

Russian fighter jets will make a comeback at the Paris Air Show this year. Daily flight demonstrations of the Sukhoi Su-35 presented by the United Aircraft Corporation and Irkut Corporation’s Yak-130 military training aircraft will be a delight for the visitors at the show. SuperJet International’s 100-seat commercial airliner, the SuperJet 100 will also be on the static display.

Raining Jobs

The Concorde Hall will feature a job and training area which will be a 3,000-sqmetre aircraft mock-up called the “Career Plane,” where those looking for a career change will be able to interact with engineers, pilots and other aviation professionals. About 100 companies and 50 different aviation jobs will be represented, thus helping the young seeking placement in aerospace.

While Airbus will be showcasing its latest commercial and military product range and there would be latest innovations from the EADS Group on display, EADS human resource experts will hold a series of career workshops and events for students and attendees. EADS and its four divisions—Airbus, Astrium, Cassidian and Eurocopter—would organise interactive workshops to discuss the latest innovations and to guide job seekers on the challenging career perspectives. Professionals, graduates and students will have the opportunity to meet EADS managers, engineers and HR representatives during the show. In 2013, Airbus is recruiting 3,000 globally to add to the 10,000 already hired since 2011.

For Visitors’ Convenience

The show hours at the 50th Paris Air Show have been extended so that exhibitors can enter the Le Bourget site from 6:30 a.m. and trade visitors can enter from 8:30 a.m. which is an hour earlier than in the previous shows. The show is going green with the organisers adopting new ISO 20121 standard, requiring the use of sustainable construction materials for exhibition stands.

Finding your way out at this year’s show will be far easier as the organisers have introduced an application for iPhones and Android devices. The geo-location function will enable visitors to easily navigate the 70 hectares of the show, helping you find your way to specific exhibits and show locations. And if you have time, do visit the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace (Air & Space Museum) at the Le Bourget Airport to have a closer view of more than 400 aircraft, from the very first aeroplanes to the Breguet 19 “Point d’Interrogation”, the Spitfire and the Concorde.