The world's largest airshow, Le Bourget, is to be cut by two days in a shock fast response to a call for change by US aerospace companies.
In an announcement at Singapore yesterday, Louis Le Portz, commissaire general of the Paris airshow, said the normal opening weekend of the show would be cut. Trade days will now be Monday to Friday with just one weekend retained for the public. The new dates are 13-19 June.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) of the United States dropped a bombshell on the organisers of the Singapore, Farnborough, Dubai and Paris events just before Christmas with an open letter signed by the heads of global aerospace majors such as Boeing, Honeywell, Goodrich and Northrop Grumman, calling for a need to rethink shows.
"In the past, these shows have played an important role in the aerospace industry as a venue to demonstrate new products and technologies, as a major marketing event and as a means of bringing together the key producers and customers related to the industry.
"However, changes in the global economy and our industry require an examination of how these shows should evolve in the future," the letter said.
It went on to warn that the emphasis on cost reduction would lead to a reduction in the participation at shows.
The AIA says that show organisers must change their stance to improve flexibility and decrease costs. "This might include allowing exhibitors to customise their individual requirements for exhibit space, chalets and/or ramp space, assuring competition among service providers to the shows and reducing the number of trade days," said John Douglass, president and chief executive of AIA.
Amanda Stainer, head of exhibitions for SBAC, the Farnborough organiser, said: "We have an excellent working relationship with the AIA and its member companies and are working closely with the AIA towards a mutual solution.
"Our view of the future purpose or value of shows, both as an organiser and as an exhibitor, is that airshows are a valuable marketing, advertising, PR/media and networking tool.
"They enable companies to demonstrate their products on a stand as well as, in some cases, participating in the air display to a truly global audience.
But, she warned, "we believe that the marketplace is becoming saturated with too many airshows of the same type."
Clive Richardson, chief executive of F&E, organiser of the Dubai airshow, said he was meeting with AIA to discuss the recommendations, but backed the idea of being business focused.
Global
"Certainly in Dubai we have a no-nonsense five-day business-to-business trade-only event where our global exhibitors know they can meet the region's movers and shakers, make real business contacts that can lead to real business, in a region where otherwise they may struggle to compete.
"I think each show has its own merits, and the global aerospace industry must decide for itself which events to attend."
Asian Aerospace organiser Reed Exhibitions was reluctant to comment, saying only that the company had "no information or update to share at the moment".
Alan Peaford
Source: Flight Daily News
