Two of the world's latest large civil aircraft were due to fly into Dubai for the show last night - the Boeing 777-300 and the Airbus Industrie A330-200.
The Boeing aircraft made its maiden flight exactly a month ago, the Airbus aircraft - for which Dubai-based Emirates was the launch customer - on 13 August. The first of Emirates' 16 aircraft will be delivered in 1999.
Boeing's aircraft will be on display in the static park. Boeing officials hope to launch long-range versions of the 777 - the 200X and the 300X - by the end of the year, but it depends on a launch customer coming forward.
Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong is the launch customer for the -300 and is expected to take its first delivery in May 1998. The -300 is the longest jetliner and largest twin ever built. Meanwhile, Airbus spokesmen say that flight trials of the A330-200 are progressing so well that the aircraft could be taken out of the programme and brought to Dubai to appear in the daily flying display. It will be the aircraft's first major air show.
One of the talking points at Dubai '97 is whether Airbus will announce the full launch of its planned A340-500 and -600 models which were "-commercially launched" at Paris in June. With orders from Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada and Eva Air, there is increasing expectation that it could be one of the show's major announcements.
Source: Flight Daily News
