AviTrader MRO Magazine 2017-11

Cover story: Dubai Air show 2017
20
Dubai
makes it fly!
Emirates 777 and A380 open Dubai Airshow with Al Fursan.
Photo: ASDS
The 2017 Dubai Air show was marked by game-changing deals from start to finish and proved
another successful run this year. Keith Mwanalushi highlights the event and the opportunities.
T
here were some very impressive numbers announced at the
biennial aerospace event in Dubai this year. Let’s start with
Boeing, the US manufacturer announced 296 commercial jet
orders and commitments, valued at about U$50 billion.
“This has been a very successful show for Boeing. Our regional customers
have maintained their trust in our products and technology,
and our partnerships in the Middle East region continue to grow,” said
Bernard Dunn, President, Boeing Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.
“We signed agreements with key airline partners including Emirates,
flydubai, Azerbaijan Airlines, ALAFCO and Ethiopian Airlines. In addition,
Egyptair became a new customer for the 787. Finally, the Air
show was a great opportunity to introduce our newest business unit,
Boeing Global Services, to the Middle East market and reiterate the
region’s importance to Boeing.”
At rival Airbus, the OEM reported transactions and business announcements
totalling 510 aircraft. Validating the company’s slogan:
‘We make it fly,’ these orders and commitments involved 500 aircraft
from Airbus’ single-aisle A320neo family and two A330neo from Air
Senegal worth a combined total of U$58.3 billion at list prices, along
with five of the company’s multi-role C295 transports and three ‘H
generation’ H160 rotorcraft.
The big two aircraft manufacturers were the obvious winners but the
regional and single aisle aircraft OEMs such as ATR and Embraer also
had a colourful presence.
For Embraer, the Dubai Air show is an important event, especially this
year as the OEM approaches the entry into service of its next generation
family of aircraft. “The first, the E190-E2 will be delivered in April
2018,” Martyn Holmes, VP - Europe, Middle East, Russia, Central Asia
and Leasing tells AviTrader MRO.
Holmes says with the E2s’ improved performance and capability to
deal with the harsh operating environment, and with lower per seat
and per trip costs, Embraer has strong interest from customers in the
region for the E2s ability to tap into the need for greater connectivity,
and deliver exceptional hub feeding economics. “We’re ahead of that
wave, and with the most efficient single aisle aircraft, we intend to
make our mark again in the Middle East,” he states.
Returning international exhibitor Turkish Technic, an MRO company
based at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, is celebrating a successful Dubai
Air show, and plans to return for the 2019 edition.
“During this year’s event, we signed a MoU with Saudia Aerospace
Engineering Industries, expanding our support of its customer’s fleet
in the region,” said Turkish Technic spokesman, Muhammed Memduhoglu.
Also in Dubai, aviation training specialists CAE announced that it has
sold one Airbus A320NEO full-flight simulator and one flight train-
AviTrader MRO - November 2017