Celebrating his first Paris air show as president of air show organisers SIAE, veteran French industry figure Louis Le Portz claims this year will be "by far the best ever", with 1,926 exhibitors, compared to 1,700 in 2001.
Le Portz, who has been president of Thomson Lucas, TTS and most recently Messier-Dowty, says: "This year seems to be a very important one. Not only because we're seeing two new European aircraft for the first time but perhaps just as significant the fact that there are many more small companies than usual."
He puts this down to the need for smaller players to show their presence as major equipment decisions are coming for the new Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, regional jets and military programmes. "We're trying to help these companies by facilitating contacts with the majors", he says.
He points to another trend seen at this year's Paris - the extraordinary increase in unmanned aerial vehicle exhibitors. "There are around double the 50 or so who came to the last show", he says.
The battle between the Paris and Farnborough shows is never far from the headlines, and although Le Portz insists the two have a "good relationship" he clearly believes Paris will be the eventual winner, although "it is the exhibitors who will decide".
He points to the highest-ever UK participation at Paris, with more than 100 companies, and the statement from the US Department of Defense before the show that appearing at Paris is "mandatory". It is a far cry from the tense atmosphere at the 2003 show, which took place just after the start of the Iraq conflict.
JULIAN MOXON
Source: Flight Daily News
