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With less than a year to go until the Bahrain International Airshow, organisers have confirmed the 2018 event will be its biggest yet with chalet space already almost completely sold out and growing interest in an expanded exhibition hall.
To date confirmed participation at the event comes from across the global aerospace industry including Airbus Group, BAE Systems, Bell Helicopters, DRDO, L3, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Otokar, Rolls Royce, Rostec, Rosoboronexport, UK DIT DSO and, most recently, Saudi Arabia, who has signed a strategic partnership.
Recently in Dubai, CFM and ISS-Reshetnev also signed to exhibit in Bahrain at the airshow which takes place from November 14 – 16, 2018. The latest fighter jets from India, Russian and Pakistan are also expected alongside aerobatic display teams from Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to thrill the thousands of expected visitors.
Engineer Kamal Bin Ahmed Mohammed, Bahrain Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, said: “With a year to go, the show is already looking very impressive reflecting the growth of the aerospace industry in the Middle East. With around 85 per cent of the space already sold, I am confident that this will be yet another rewarding event for businesses in the aviation industry.”
The show will also see the international debut of Texel Air’s Pemco FlexCombi 737 Aircraft and it is expected that national carrier Gulf Air will showcase its newest aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, an American long-haul, midsize wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner.
It can seat from 242 to 335 passengers in typical three-class seating configurations and is the first airliner with an airframe constructed primarily of composite materials. The 787 was designed to be 20 per cent more fuel efficient than the Boeing 767, which it was intended to replace.
DAE Capital and Gulf Air signed an aircraft lease agreement for five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Gulf Air deputy CEO, Captain Waleed Abdulhameed Al Alawi, said: “The incoming aircraft represent an important step in our strategic direction towards furthering Gulf Air’s fleet modernisation process, enhancing passenger comfort and broadening our network as we look to strengthen our presence across the globe.”
Networking and engagement are also still high on the agenda at next year’s show with the Manama Air Power Symposium taking place the day before and a strong military and commercial delegations programme.
The 2016 show saw 33 military delegations and 59 commercial delegations from across the Middle East, India, North Africa, Europe, USA and Brazil attend. Invited as guests of the Bahrain Defence Force and the Ministry of Transporation and Telecommunications, similar numbers are expected for 2018.
In conjunction with Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, Farnborough International will also be building on the conference and seminar programme that was established in 2016 by installing a conference theatre on the exhibition floor which visitors and exhibitors will be able to simply walk-up to and attend.
A number of sessions are planned including a Middle East Airline CEO Briefing and a Space Conference, in conjunction with Roscosmos. A hosted buyer programme is also set to return where suppliers are matched with buyers in a series of short introductory meetings.
Gulf Weekly reported how thousands of aviation fans flocked to the 2016 fourth edition of BIAS to witness thrilling aerial acrobatic displays, tour an array of winged and bladed aircraft and to see business partnerships take-off.
According to event organisers it was by far the most successful air show to date attracting more than 30,000 visitors. The three-day event also attracted a record high number of orders and agreements totalling $9 billion, triple the amount of deals signed in 2014.
