Dubai Airshow closes on high note

Dubai: The Dubai Air Show 2009 closed on a high note, as companies said the event attracted quality visitors and decision makers.

While the visitor numbers seemed fewer, industry guests made their way to the air show and inked several deals and built collaborations.

"This is where the business is done. It would take a number of years to meet the people we've met here in the past four days. The quality of decision makers here is unrivalled," said Michael Davies, general manger of Academy of Technical Training, a UAE-based aviation-training institute.

On the last day, DAE Capital, part of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, placed a $40-million (Dh147 million) order for wheels and carbon brakes for its planned Boeing 737 fleet. The company's total order value during the show closed at $1 billion.

And the UAE's Perla Aviation, which owns Ukraine's DBAerocopter company, sealed three separate sales of the low-cost AK1-3 petrol-powered, two-seater light helicopter on its first Dubai Air Show participation. The customers who bought the helicopters at a combined value of around $600,000 are in Pakistan, India and the UK.

"It has been an excellent show for us with strong interest from throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the US," said Perla's Tanya Rashenko. "We are also negotiating on additional three sales leads gained at the show which hopefully we can conclude in the coming weeks."

"We are very happy to be at the Dubai Air Show. We were able to meet numerous individuals and build contacts with companies, that resulted in several deals for us," Shabab Attarzadeh, head of training at the Academy of Technical Training, said. The company has been exhibiting at the air show for the past three editions and also at international aerospace exhibitions such as the Farnborough and in Paris, representing the UAE.

Tilman Tesseraux, marketing manager for Lufthansa Technik, an aircraft maintenance company, said: "The show has been busy for sure. From the business side, it was very successful."

Great showcase

"Regional and international visitors showed interest in all our services of aircraft sales, management, charter and lifestyle, demonstrating the reach of the show and the company. Dubai Air Show was a great showcase for the regional industry and we look forward to the next show in 2011," said Caron Gledhill, director of Corporate Affairs at Empire Aviation Group, a UAE-based aviation company.

A first-time visitor, Alanood Al Feel said: "Seeing the display of acrobats from the runway-side is overwhelming. It doesn't compare with seeing them from outside the venue."

Shamim Shukla, learning and development manager for Emirates Group's aviation training centre, said there has been a lot of interest for its Business Skills Programme. Recently open to the general public, the institute will train and provide human resources for its internal use, as well as other airlines and the general industry.

She said on average 60-70 visitors inquired about their services on a daily basis and 10 per cent said they would register for the training. "This time we had a product to offer, and the response has been great," Shukla said.