Dubai Airshow rises to the top of air show heap

The biennial Dubai Airshow will convene November 15-19 at the Dubai Airport Expo Center, drawing more than 50,000 people to witness the latest aircraft and stunning aeronautical displays.

The five-day event, which is not open to the public, is not experiencing any reduction from its previous exhibition, reflecting the fact that the Middle East is the only global region expanding during a prolonged recession in the international air industry.

The biggest aviation and aerospace fest in the Middle East is actually growing by 10 percent since its 2007 show, when a staggering $85 billion (€57 million) of new aircraft was ordered. With such sales figures it is little wonder the Dubai show is now one of the world's premier aeronautical gatherings, alongside Singapore, Paris and England.

Air shows will be on display each afternoon of the exhibition, with aerobatics teams performing stunts and military aircraft exhibiting their prowess. Aircraft aficionados can ooh and aah as the some of the world's leading airplane manufacturers take their latest creations for impressive spins around the Dubai skies.

The regions's full defense budgets are another reason the show attracts the maiden flights of premier fighter aircraft. The F-22 Raptor, produced by a consortium of US companies, will make its flying debut, as will the Eurofighter Typhoon, produced by several European companies.

BAE Systems will bring its luxury business aircraft, the Avro Business Jet, which has already been selected by the governments of Bahrain, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for their VIP air transport needs.

Boeing stated late October that they will not showcase their 787 Dreamliner, set to be the world's largest commercial jet. The company plans to stage the first flight of the Dreamliner by the end of this year but is already two and a half years behind its original schedule.

Website: http://dubaiairshow.aero