Annabel Wells/LONDON
The 1997 Flight International aerospace trade-show calendar shows a continuation of the trend reported for the 1996 period (Show time '96, Flight International, 29 November-5 December, 1995, P42). Organisers still appear to be confident that the world recession is indeed abating, with a plethora of shows being lined up worldwide.
The following listing does not include the numerous conferences, seminars, workshops and educational events - notably organised by the Cranfield College of Aeronautics in the UK, the University of Kansas in the USA and the various safety organisations. These are listed in the Flight International "What's On" column, published weekly on the Letters Page.
Asia, in particular, provides a glut of events, presenting problems for the manufacturers, whose budgets dictate that they must decide which to attend, and which to strike off their lists - possibly losing valuable sales opportunities. Most manufacturers will be at the major international shows, but will face a dilemma when it comes to selecting the national shows at which they wish to appear.
A new entrant to the Asian trade-show scene is the defence-oriented Thai '97, covering both the civil- and defence-aerospace areas, and backed by the Thai Ministry of Defence, while the Taipei Aerospace Technology Exhibition (TATE) '97 is to have its fourth appearance in August, in Taiwan.
In Europe, 1997 is a "Paris year". The salon at Le Bourget in June will undoubtedly dominate, with the major European, Russian and US manuacturers setting up their wares. The Paris show will also host the respected Flight International Aerospace Industry Awards - the fourth outing for this significant event. ATC '97, to be held in Maastricht, Netherlands, in February, will focus on the topical subject "Making free flight work". Among eastern-European events, Russia will host the third Moscow air show, MAKS 97, in August, despite the country's cashflow problems; and the Czech Republic will present its Aerosalon '97 in Prague in September. The Russians will be out in force at many shows, from their presence at Paris, to being the major participant at Aero India in December.
In Latin America, Acapulco 97, to be held in Mexico in February, is another new entrant to the aerospace trade-show calendar. The organiser says that Mexico, which has 164 airlines and the world's second-largest fleet of executive jets, expects growth of 6-8% in the country's aviation industry through to 2007.
The Middle East is the setting for the second Middle East Fire & Security conference and exhibition, in Manama, Bahrain, in March.
South Africa is the venue for yet another new show, Fire Africa 97, to be held in Johannesburg in April, and for Airports Africa in May.
Business-aircraft events continue to flourish, with the US National Business Aircraft Association celebrating its 50th anniversary in September, when it will hold its annual convention in Dallas, Texas - a departure from its usual November slot. The sixth European Business Air Show at Stansted, Essex, UK, in May will focus on the link between corporate/executive flyers and those businessmen who are frequent flyers on scheduled airlines. The organiser of business and general-aviation show Aero '97, to be held in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in April, also reports bookings well up for the same period the previous year, with, at the last count, 350 companies from 21 countries expected to attend.
As far as helicopter shows are concerned, the US Helicopter Association International, whose 1997 event is to be staged at Anaheim, California, in February, reports bookings up by 15% on the same stage of preparation for the 1996 show. In Europe, the Helitech 97 organiser says that bookings for its Redhill Aerodrome, UK, event on 30 September-3 October are near to saturation point and that it will have to consider by January whether to expand the show. A first for Helitech is the presence of a US Pavilion and US Trade Fair certification. Participants expected include Russia's Mil Mi-8 and Mil-28 and the Kamov Ka-50, as well as Poland's PZL SW4.
Dedicated defence shows include the first EDEX '97 (European Defence Congress & Expo), to be held in Brussels, Belgium, in April. This will feature a World Congress, with the topics "Partnership and Co-operation" and "Partnership for Peace".
It will be interesting to see how many shows survive into 1998 and beyond. Their proliferation makes it difficult for potential participants to spread their budgets to accommodate all of the events from which they might benefit. It could be that some of these shows will go under for lack of support, leaving the field clear for the "fat" shows to become fatter in ensuing years.
Source: Flight International