Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH
Despite a background of optimism generated by the economic revival of Germany's aerospace industry, questions remain about the future of its main showcase, the Berlin International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) to be held on 18-24 May at Berlin Schönefeld Airport.
The European air show circuit is overcrowded, and the decision by the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) to move the Farnborough International Air Show forward from its traditional September slot to July from the year 2000 onwards puts it uncomfortably close to the ILA's mid-May schedule.
According to the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI), which organises the ILA together with Messe Berlin, the SBAC has explained its move by saying that it wants to avoid future clashes with summer vacations among exhibitors and politicians. The Association sees things differently, however.
"We understand that the SBAC wants a direct confrontation [between Farnborough and the ILA] and, if that's what they want, they can have it," says the BDLI. The organisers insist that the ILA will pull through, promising that they are preparing "a few surprises" for the turn of the millennium to make the show more attractive.
ILA backers are making efforts to establish an identity for the show convincing enough that the industry will remain willing to pay to attend, and the BDLI is expecting substantial synergies from the Expo 2000 show, to be located in Hanover that year.
As a result of enormous efforts by the organisers, backed by German politicians, a record number of exhibitors will attend the ILA this year: some 800 compared with about 580 two years ago, and 422 the year before.
A near-capacity turnout of 260 aircraft is expected on the static line, including the first air show appearance in the West of the Ukrainian Antonov An-70, flying in on the back of controversial German ambitions to establish a joint European-Russian-Ukrainian military transport programme based on this aircraft type.
Making its first show appearance anywhere will be the Fairchild Dornier 328JET, with the manufacturer hoping to convince sceptics that its turbofan engines have transformed the former turboprop loss-leader into a viable 30-seat jet. Fairchild Dornier is hoping that the aircraft will lead the way for a regional jet range of up to 90 seats capacity, to be built at Dornier Luftfahrt in Oberpfaffenhofen.
MILITARY DISPLAYS
On the military side, the show will feature the upgraded MAPO MiG-29SMT; Sukhoi's show stealing vectored thrust Su-37; a range of Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, including the latest C-130J; and the first public appearance of the Eurofighter EF2000 since it received carefree handling clearance.
The days of 1994, when a struggling Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) pulled out of the show to a chorus of political protest, are long gone. Following the implementation of its severe restructuring programme over the last few years, all Dasa's business units are now back in profit, and the company plans to use ILA '98 as a showcase for its recent successes.
Dasa announced a DM432 million ($240 million) operating profit for 1997, compared with a DM196 million loss in 1996. This represents a 7.7% return on capital, still short of the 12% target set by Stuttgart-based parent Daimler-Benz for its subsidiaries. For this year, after a first quarter which brought in DM3.3 billion income, Dasa predicts that it will achieve a year-end turnover of DM16 billion, compared with DM15.3 billion in 1997. This is expected to rise to DM18 billion by the year 2000.
Overall German aerospace sales in 1997 climbed by 20% over the previous year's, to about DM20.3 billion, and the BDLI has asserted that aerospace employment seems to have stabilised nationally at around 60,000 personnel, having plummeted in recent years through drastic downsizing. The growth in sales is expected to slow down this year, partly because of the slump in the Asian market, which had been generating many large orders (and has now logged many large cancellations).
According to BDLI managing director Hans-Eberhard Birke, the main challenge faced by ILA organisers this year is finding space for all the exhibitors. A new hall has been added and the number of chalets has been increased by 40%.
The BDLI insists that Berlin's location in the heart of Europe is a major advantage, especially for East European and CIS nations. The Association is continuing to pursue the theme of Berlin as a meeting point for Eastern and Western businesses and politicians by setting up the now traditional East/West Aerospace Centre at the show.
Russia is well represented at the show, and there will also be a Polish contingent featuring all the country's major airframe, engine and systems companies. The Czech industry will be represented by a joint exhibit, and Romania by helicopter manufacturer IAR - whose future remains uncertain, with funding still unavailable for the ambitious AH-1RO Dracula attack helicopter programme, the cornerstone of the long planned majority take-over of the company by Bell Helicopter Textron.
The organisers also promise a substantial French turnout, alongside companies from numerous other countries. In all, 32 nations are represented:a small improvement on the 30 present at the previous show.
Source: Flight International
