Airshow Ends with $14 Billion in Deals

Dubai: The Dubai Airshow ended on a subdued but hopeful note, with a few last orders pushing the show’s final tally of contracts and purchase commitments incrementally higher to more than $14 billion.
Among these contracts announced on Friday were the sale of three helicopters worth $600,000 by the UAE’s Perla Aviation and a $40 million order from a unit of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for aircraft wheels and brakes.
The show hatched no blockbuster deals, in contrast to its predecessor two years ago. Yet, the outcome of $14 billion in new business was a notable achievement, given the harsh economic conditions that have damped demand in most corners of the aviation industry.
As the event’s organisers and participants began closing down their booths and display stands, they were looking forward to bigger sales at the next show in 2011 – by which time many anticipate that the economy will be in full swing again.
“We anticipate sales pushing ahead more quickly for 2011, with industry sentiment genuinely predicting an upturn for international aviation…,” said Alison Weller, director for aerospace at F&E Aerospace, the show’s organiser.
Boeing and its European rival Airbus SAS outsource a significant amount of parts production for their jetliners. China, for example, doesn’t just assemble Airbus A320 jetliners at a plant in the city of Tianjin but also produces key parts and sections for several models of aircraft for both Airbus and Boeing.
Perla Aviation, which owns the DBAerocopter company of Ukraine, announced three separate sales of its AK1-3 two-seater helicopter. Perla executive Tanya Rashenko confirmed the sales to customers in Pakistan, India and the UK.
“It has been an excellent show for us, with strong interest from throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the USA,” Rashenko said in the end-of-show statement. “We are also negotiating on an additional three sales leads gained at the show which hopefully we can conclude in the coming weeks.”
DAE Capital, a unit of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, ordered $40 million in wheels and carbon brakes for its planned fleet of 70 Boeing 737 jetliners. Boeing is to begin delivering single-aisle planes next year.
The final order tally grew by $1 billion from Wednesday’s total of $13 billion.
20/11/09 Bruce Stanley/Khaleej Times, UAE

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Categories: Dubai Airshow 2009