The Hindu Business Line : Aero India 2007 to have business flavour

Plans ahead
A business aircraft arena is being created for the flying machines taking part in static and flying displays. The entire venue is to be made wi-fi to fine-tune communications. A golf tournament on February 9 to help the visitors to network better is also part of the 2007 package.

Bangalore , Nov. 23

Aero India 2007 slated for February promises to be of a different flavour this time. It will be a bit less of defence and more civil with a dash of business, according to an anchorperson for the organisers.

Two hardnosed agencies such as FICCI and Farnborough International Ltd, UK, are handling the sixth two-yearly event for the first time.

The FICCI-Farnborough combine won a global bid called by the Ministry of Defence last year to manage the event at Yelahanka Air Base near here and it did so against half a dozen contenders.

The event of February 7-11 may not be of the Farnborough or Le Bourget marquee, but "You can expect a marked difference this time as we are changing the flavour of the air show from a predominantly military one and bringing in some civil aviation and space elements also. There has been a 35-40 per cent growth over last time," the official said.

Aero India, he said, had now become the predominant regional air show surpassing the shows hosted by Dubai, Singapore, or Malaysia. "We have outgrown them," he said.

The Canadian Bombardier would be coming in for the first time; the Germans would be there for the first time; and Falcon jets too, apart from the US F series, French and British aircraft. The hangars have doubled to 10 ; the number of chalets - the exclusive premium zones that set apart the big ones - has grown 50 per cent. The exhibition area itself has grown to 25,000 sq.m. of indoor space compared to 18,000 sq.m. in 2005; and 30,000 sq.m. of outdoor space. The number of aircraft may exceed 100 and those making flying displays will also go up as the response has been very good, the official who did not wish to be named told Business Line. One could expect improvement in marketing the event in the country and overseas, infrastructure at the show, air displays quality of visitors as well as services for them, according to the official.

While FICCI offers the familiar domestic industry face to the promotion, Farnborough, which handles the world's biggest air show in the UK, he said, would add value to the show. FIL is a subsidiary of the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC).

GOLF and WI-FI

A business aircraft arena is being created for the flying machines taking part in static and flying displays. The entire venue is to be made wi-fi to fine-tune communications. A golf tournament on February 9 to help the visitors to network better is also part of the 2007 package.

The focus of a two-day seminar that coincides with the trade show will be improving civil aviation infrastructure, financing of airports and utilisation of airports.

Until 2005, the international aerospace and defence exhibition was wholly organised by the Department of Defence Production of the Ministry of Defence. Officials had last time indicated that it would go `private' from 2007.

The 2005 show attracted 380 companies from 36 countries and was considered a big hit. The outsourcing of the event "will bring to fore new opportunities for the aviation and aerospace industry" and "give it a more professional touch and attract greater participation," according to the organisers.

The US, the UK, France, Russia, Germany, Israel, Italy and Ukraine will have country pavilions. Germany will be here for the first time with three companies.

The Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries (SIATI) is bringing in a large number of its members.

The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Defence Research and Development Organisation, the defence PSUs Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bharat Earth Movers Ltd will be part of the mainstay.