Fast growth in air travel cheers Berlin Air Show

Berlin: India's rapidly expanding airline industry is typical of the robust markets that cheered European aerospace and defence companies on Tuesday, the first day of the Berlin Air Show. The show, held every two years, mixes flying displays by lovingly restored vintage planes with hard-sell marketing talk from companies like European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), the parent of Airbus.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, her entourage and Airbus chief executive Thomas Enders toured the aircraft and exhibition booths for 90 minutes, accompanied by Indian Defence Minister Kurian Antony.
India is the partner nation this year at the show, which is also known by its German initials, ILA.
"This is a sector which lives by networking," said Merkel, and Antony confirmed how essential sharing is. "Germany is an important partner for us in aerospace," he told reporters.
Jet Airways, the rapidly expanding Indian airline, took delivery of one of the 15 new A330-200 airliners it has ordered from Airbus in Merkel's presence.
Air travel is growing fast in India as incomes rise and travellers avoid slower land transport, a shift in travel behaviour that is being seen in other emerging economies too.
That expansion not only spells more orders for planes, but is also leading to a worldwide shortage of pilots and aviation engineers.
Three giant aircraft including the jumbo A380 from Airbus dominated the show on opening day.
Also on view at the show, known by its German initials as the ILA, are the two biggest series- production planes ever made, the An 124 and the C-5 Galaxy.
This ILA has a record 1,127 companies and institutions from the aerospace and defence industry exhibiting.
Organizers said more than 200,000 people were expected at the show by the time it ends on Sunday. During the first three days the general public is excluded and only trade visitors and officials will be admitted.
27/05/08 Earthtimes, UK

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Berlin air show 2008