Bigger and better, according to its organisers, Airshow China 2010 has now surpassed the footprint of its 2008 showing, which has led to the erection of a temporary hall to house the increased exhibitors. The show has signed up more than 600 exhibitors from 30 countries, has about 60 aircraft on display and plans to schedule more than 40 conferences and seminars.
Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) is set to exhibit at Airshow China for the first time. China Aviation Industry Corporation, China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation and China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation will also again display their most advanced aviation and aerospace products and technologies. The PLA Air Force, a new member of Airshow China's sponsor team, is set to participate in the event, bringing along its Aerobatic Team, newly equipped with J10 Fighters. In addition, both new and regular domestic exhibitors have shown greater interest in participation.
Overseas sales are also experiencing growth, with early and increased orders from regular international exhibitors. At present, nearly all regular exhibitors have signed up to the airshow, including Russian Technologies State Corporation, ROSCOSMOS (IASP), GIFAS, Safran, AgustaWestland, Diamond Aircraft, Kulite Sensor China, Tyco Electronics and Parker Aerospace. The show has also registered a number of new faces, such as Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, Pelican Products, Groen Brothers Aviation, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Jet Mid West, Stanley Works (Shanghai), Helilite, Schmolz-Bickenbach Group, DMG China and Tital. Also, after years of absence from Airshow China, Honeywell is also coming back to the Chinese stage.
Various models of home grown aircraft that represent self-owned intellectual property rights will make their debut at Airshow China 2010 and perform demonstration flights, such as the ARJ21 regional jet manufactured by COMAC, the Seagull 300, a new style amphibious plane assembled in Zhuhai; the helicopter AC-313 which made its first flight last March; the JF-17, a fighter jointly developed by China and Pakistan; the KJ-200 early warning aircraft; and the MA600 regional jet.
The foreign-built aircraft participation is also encouraging. The first Chinese-assembled Airbus A320; the Embraer Lineage 1000 and Legacy 600aircraft; the AgustaWestland AW109; and the Citation Mustang and Grand Caravan from Cessna, have all confirmed their presence at the event. The aircraft display also features a large variety of helicopters including Eurocopter's EC225, Sikorsky's S-76, a 12 seat all-weather civil transport helicopter and the latest heavy-duty S-92, joined by China-built Z-8, Z-9, and AC-313, the biggest helicopter ever made by China.
In other developments, the Pakistan Air Force aerobatic team ‘Sherdil' is set to stage manoeuvres with four K-8 trainers, an advanced military aircraft jointly developed by China and Pakistan.
The business side of Airshow China 2010 will also be highlighted by a larger variety of high profile conferences and forums such as the China International Aviation & Aerospace Summit. In addition, by partnering with Business Conventions International (BCI), Airshow China 2010 launches its first B2B Meetings in an effort to provide a one-to-one meeting platform for vendors and buyers from global aviation industries and promote business exchanges and cooperation among the show's exhibitors.
Finally, to reflect China's booming general aviation market, Zhuhai Airshow and AVIC General Aircraft have jointly initiated the Airshow China General Aviation Industry International Forum, on which policy makers, scholars, and senior managers from the global general aviation industry will be invited to discuss China's general aviation prospects.
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