Innovation on display at Paris Air Show 2017
The Paris Air show is an interactive bi- annual aviation meet
The Paris Air Show is undoubtedly the oldest and biggest aviation event in the world, having a lucrative line-up of events showcasing the best aircraft by global aviation giants. The week-long event kick-started on June 19 (Monday) with much fanfare.
Held at the Le Bourget Airport, companies such as Boeing and Airbus make it a point to showcase their latest breakthroughs here. Buyers explore the enormous grounds, take tours of the new aircraft and meet with the manufacturers.
The 52nd Paris Air Show or Salon international de l’aéronautique et de l’espace de Paris-Le Bourget is witnessing a mammoth turnout boasting of events exhibiting flying cars and drone bikes to the latest Boeing.
On the event’s first day, The Boeing Co. announced the launch of the 737 MAX 10 as the newest member of the 737 MAX family, 66 inches longer than the MAX 9 and reportedly providing the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle airplane ever produced. According to Boeing, the aircraft has gained wide market acceptance with more than 240 orders and commitments secured from more than 10 customers worldwide. Boeing signed a deal for up to 175 jets with a major airline for 125 Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets with options for another 50.
The two-seat Pegasus, from French firm Vaylon, is a carbon fibre four-wheeler that drove out of Paris and flew across the English Channel using the paragliding sail in a niche on its back, powered by a large fan glued to its rear. Vaylon’s president, Jerome Dauffy, said the car then drove the rest of the way to London’s Trafalgar Square. A Peugeot 400 cc motorcycle engine drives the wheels. Dauffy aims to get the car-plane licensed both for roads and the air, “So you can drive in town and be able to take off anywhere.” The machine will sell for between EUR 100,000 and EUR 150,000 (USD 111,500 to USD 167,000), he maintained.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II made its debut appearance at the coveted show along with an aerial demonstration. Lockheed Martin executive, Jeff Babione told the press at Le Bourget that his company is close to a deal worth nearly USD 40 billion to supply jets to the United States of America (US) and allied nations over the next several years, more than doubling the total number of planes currently under contract.
The gigantic, next-generation X6 helicopter 6 also arrived at Paris Air Show as a belle of the ball with big news – Airbus has received the European Commission go ahead for financing to develop the X6.
Arista Aviation has added commercial sales of modified aircraft to its multi-faceted operations.
The bi-annual Paris Air Show also witnessed the first commercial sale from Arista Aviation Services. Arista Aviation Services, CEO Rich Enderle announced that his Enterprise-based company has signed a deal to sell four modified UH-60A helicopters to the International Defense and Aerospace Group LLC (IDAG). Kay Ivey, governor of Alabama joined Enderle at the ‘Made in Alabama’ booth at the air show to mark the deal that highlights Arista’s growth prospects by launching a business line centred on commercial sales. “I have visited Arista Aviation on several occasions, and I’ve been very impressed with the way the company has grown and added jobs over a short period of time,” Ivey stated.
The global aviation event has been open only to business officials for the first few days.
