Summary
- The 2023 Dubai Airshow is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors, surpassing the 104,165 attendees at the 2021 edition, thanks to the absence of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
- The airshow generated $74 billion in orders in 2021, with commercial aviation accounting for the majority, and prominent orders were placed by Indigo Partners, Akasa Air, Jazeera Airways, Air Tanzania, and Nigeria’s Ibom Air.
- While general access to the airshow is limited to industry professionals, the daily flying display is open to the public and includes military jet team displays and the opportunity to see the Boeing 777X in action.
The 2023 installment of the Dubai Airshow is fast approaching. The biennial event held at the Al Maktoum International Airport to the south of Dubai is set to welcome more than 1,400 exhibitors across the five days that it takes place. Not only is the event a place for those in the industry to network, but it also serves as a hub of regional aviation announcements, as well as showing off 180+ aircraft.
1 More than 100,000 visitors are expected
The 2021 edition of the Dubai Airshow was the first major airshow to take place following the COVID-19 pandemic (the Farnborough Air Show was canceled in 2020, and the Paris Air Show was canceled in 2021). Despite the travel restrictions that were still in place in late 2021, the airshow welcomed 104,165 visitors. With COVID-19 largely a memory now, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if even more visitors attended the 2023 Dubai Airshow.
Photo: Arnold O. A. Pinto | Shutterstock.com
Interstingly, the airshow provides a detailed breakdown of its 2021 visitors with a focus on the sectors of aviation and the regions of the world that they originated from,
Sectors |
Regions |
||
---|---|---|---|
Business & General Aviation |
40% |
Middle East & North Africa |
68% |
Commercial Aviation |
28% |
Europe |
10% |
Defence & Military |
20% |
The Americas |
7% |
Space |
12% |
Rest of the world |
15% |
2 $74 billion worth of orders placed in 2021
The Dubai Airshow often sees plenty of new aviation orders placed across all sectors of the industry. However, the most prominent are those to do with commercial aviation. At the 2021 airshow, more than $74 billion worth of orders were added to order books, while $6.1+ billion worth of military contracts were signed. Airbus left the last show with 404 orders, while Boeing clocked 101 orders.
Photo: Tom Boon – Simple Flying
Some of the highlights were,
3 Anybody can see the daily flying display
Access to the airshow itself is strictly limited to professionals within the aviation industry. Unlike the Paris Air Show held in June, this show has no public access days. However, anybody is able to enjoy the daily flying display. Event organizers construct a grandstand outside of the airshow perimeter where members of the public are able to watch everything from military jet team displays to the Boeing 777X’s impressive banking display.
Photo: Tom Boon | Simple Flying
Called “Skyview at the Dubai Airshow”, the grandstand also offers live music and meet and greets with pilots and astronauts. To access the Skyview area, interested individuals must register for free tickets, though the registration process for this area is not yet live. Further information about the Skyview can be found on the Dubai Airshow Skyview Website. The area is open from 13:00-17:30, Monday to Friday, with flying taking place from 14:00-17:00.
4 180+ aircraft on display at the show
The 2023 Dubai Airshow is set to have more than 180 aircraft on display across the week, and so far, it looks as though the lineup won’t disappoint. The Boeing 777X made its airshow debut at the 2021 Dubai Airshow and, though unconfirmed, is expected to return this year. Over 180 aircraft are expected to show up at this year’s show. This year, aircraft from a range of sectors are expected to attend the airshow, including passenger planes, military jets, private jets, and everything in between.
Photo: M101Studio | Shutterstock.com
Some of the highlights of the line-up this year include,
- Saudia is expected to bring aircraft in its new “retro look” livery
- Startup Beond will be showing off its all-business class Airbus A319
- Emirates will be bringing a full lineup of commercial and training aircraft.
5 More than just an airshow
The Dubai Airshow has evolved into more than just an airshow. Four conferences are co-located at the airshow, covering topics from nine different tracks across the five days of the show. The four co-located conferences are called Aerospace 2050, Aviation Mobility, Vista, and the Airworthiness and Safety Conference.
The conferences are set to cover the following themes across the week,
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aerospace 2050 |
Sustainability |
Space |
NextGet Leaders |
||
Aviation Mobility |
Air Traffic Management |
Passenger Experience |
Advanced Aerial Mobility |
Diversity & Inclusion |
|
Vista |
Startup Hub |
||||
Airworthiness & Safety Conference |
Airworthiness & Safety |
Are you excited for the Dubai Airshow? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!
Source: Dubai Airshow