Mike Martin
The 1999 Dubai air show will be staged at a new purpose-built show site on the north side of the airport.
The announcement was made by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, on the eve of this year's show.
The stunning high-tech complex will give Dubai the finest facilities of any of the four major international shows.
"A whole new range of facilities has been designed to cater for the increasing importance of Dubai air show," says Mohi-din Bin Hendi, director-general of Dubai's Department of Civil Aviation.
The complex, located within the Airport Free Zone and Business Village currently under construction, will include two exhibition halls with a total of 20,000 m2 of space (33,000 m2 including mezzanine floors). The two halls will be linked by a walkway which will also offer access to a central control tower overlooking the static display.
Ample parking will be provided, together with restaurants, viewing galleries and press facilities. A central plaza will run between the two halls down to the static park which will be fronted by a chalet line.
Organisers say that with the new runway being built at Dubai Airport, integrating the show flying display with day-to-day operations at the airport will become easier. They add that the site can be easily expanded.
The site will be used for other trade shows, says Sheikh Ahmed, but he denies that it will be in direct competition with Dubai's World Trade Centre.
Construction of the show site will start next July and take 12 months.
Source: Flight Daily News
