As expected, this year's Paris air show was abuzz with talk of the downturn and its impacts, as well as manufacturers' pleas for government support. The once-commonplace deluge of aircraft orders failed to materialise, major players in business aviation were noticeable by their absence and even defence contractors, less exposed to the vagaries of the international banking system, were keen to focus attention on their "low-cost" offerings to budget-constrained air forces.
Few were predicting any imminent economic recovery, but some rays of light did manage to penetrate the gloom, with Airbus pulling in sizeable orders from the Middle and Far East while Sukhoi captured hungrily-sought international orders for its Superjet 100 regional jet, a reward for a Russian project with unprecedented levels of Western involvement.
Some arrived in Paris with grievances to air: Qatar Airways chief Akbar Al Baker aimed a memorable broadside at Boeing over 787 delays, while the two major airframers clashed on launch aid, continuing an ongoing debate between pot and black kettle.
The downturn plainly wasn't weighing heavily on all: Sukhoi boss Mikhail Pogosyan declared that he liked crisis because it sped decision making. Still, caution abounded. One delegate perhaps caught the general mood when he remarked: "The story of the show is that we're surviving."
Source: Flight International
