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Touchdown for air show

November 14-20, 2018
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Gulf Weekly Touchdown for air show

Gulf Weekly Kristian Harrison
By Kristian Harrison

EXCITEMENT is soaring for one of the kingdom’s flagship events as the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) prepares to take off later today.

A number of agencies and businesses, both local and global, will be touching down in the kingdom and showcasing their exhibits across the show’s four days.

Foremost of these is Bahrain’s recently-launched National Space Science Agency (NSSA). As part of its awareness programmes, a series of workshops are being held to familiarise prospective students with space science and the impact of space on the future, as well as arranging practical workshops for younger children to educate and encourage them to learn more about space.

Other awareness activities include a practical presentation about nano-satellites, their components, communication systems and controls, as well as electronic presentations related to education curricula and research in the kingdom.

Following the space theme, American astronaut and Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot, Al Worden, is coming to Bahrain for the first time as an ambassador for the US aerospace industry.

Worden’s week-long schedule includes official appearances at the event, as well as participation in coinciding military and student programmes.

Worden will address the Second Manama Air Power Symposium, which will be attended by Chiefs of Air Staff from around the world on the eve of the air show. He will also make presentations to a gathering of the Royal Bahrain Air Force and a Bahrain University audience, all to promote multilateral cooperation in aerospace and space exploration.

Of course, the focus of many will be on the aircraft themselves, and the BIAS will feature an estimated 110 civil and military aircrafts. It will also host a number of flying and static aircraft displays, with several airlines showcasing their aircraft including Gulf Air, which will be displaying their new Dreamliner Boeing 787 and Airbus A320neo.

The FAI Aviation Group, an associate of sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, will be showcasing the Bombardier Challenge 850 business jet. This ultimate lavish aircraft offers spacious cabins, maximum flexibility for VIP transport and air ambulance requirements.

Dr Siegfried Axtmann, chairman of FAI, said: “We are very proud to be making our debut at this exciting show and to be showcasing our newest family member in the 25-strong FAI fleet.

“We are looking forward to meeting with aviation delegates and friends of Bahrain at this prestigious event which is co-organised with Farnborough International in the UK. We can see that Bahrain Airport, thanks to considerable investment, is ideally positioned to develop into a significant hub, not only for regional traffic but also for transitory traffic to Asia. During the event we are looking forward to hearing and seeing about what more it has to offer.

“We have heightened interest in the region. This is because in 2017 we welcomed a strategic new investor from Bahrain - Mumtalakat. They were attracted to our market-leading position serving the intercontinental air ambulance patient transport market, in which we are active worldwide, supported by qualified medical personnel and state of the art medical technology. 

“We fly 13,000 hours annually and our clientele includes the world´s leading insurance and assistance companies, NGOs and prominent health authorities in the wider GCC region.”

The Challenger 850 model features a comfortable three-zone cabin perfect, the company says, for luxury VIP travel at a competitive price. In air ambulance configuration, it can accommodate one patient (in full intensive care unit stretcher configuration), plus up to 10 escorts depending on the condition of the patient.

BIAS takes place from 10am until 6pm until Saturday. Tickets are priced at BD10 for adults, BD5 for children aged two-to-16, and free for under-twos.

 

For more information, visit www.bahraininternationalairshow.com







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