Dubai Airshow day two has been another great day for the order books, bringing in $193.9 billion so far, after a record-breaking day 1, according to the organizers.
During the first three hours of day 1 orders for aircraft reached $162.6 billion.
Sharief Fahmy, CEO, F&E Aerospace, which together with the Dubai Government organizes the show, said:
“It still makes excellent reading. There’s a huge buzz around the exhibition hall with manufacturers and service suppliers increasingly recognising the purchasing power of the Gulf, wider Middle East and emerging African regions.”
Dubai Airshow day two – Bombardier orders
Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier Aerospace signed a conditional purchase agreement with Air Côte d’Ivoire, the flagship airline of the Ivory Coast for two Q400 NextGen.
The agreement includes options for two more airplanes. According to the list price, the initial order is valued at $69 million and could reach $141 million if the other two optional planes are also bought.
Palma Holding Limited, which is based in Dubai, has become the region’s first lessor for Bombardier’s Q400 NextGen aircraft. Both companies signed a letter of intent for eight aircraft. According to the list price, the Palma deal could be worth up to $282 million.
President of Palma Holding Limited Moulay Omar Alaoui, said:
“We are working to conclude lease structures with interested airlines including existing A400 NextGen operator Ethiopian Airlines.”
(A “lessor” is a leasing company.)
Dubai Airshow day two – other deals
Libyan Wings – a new airline based in Tripoli, Libya, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for three A350-900s and four A320neos with Airbus.
Turkish Airlines – has chosen the full suite of Rockwell Collins avionics, including the GLU-925 Multi-Mode Receiver and SATCOM, and the MultiScan Threat Detection System for 20 Boeing Next-Generation 737s, 20 Boeing 777s, 25 Airbus A320s and 17 Airbus A330s. Deliveries are expect in 2014.
Turkish Airlines also entered into an agreement with Rockwell Collins to support avionics on its new fleet in a price-per-repair service deal.
Infinity Support Services, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a leading aircraft management solutions company says it has chosen FlightSafety International, a US company, to design and equip its new ISS Aviation Academy that is planned for Riyadh.
Infinity is the largest investor in the $267 million, 50,000 square meter academy which will have full flight simulators as well as other state-of-the art training devices. The ISS Aviation Academy is expected to train a significant number of the 20,000 new pilots the Middle East is forecast to need over the next ten years.
Tawazun Precision Industries – an Abu Dhabi based company that has plans to set up a production aerospace surface treatment facility, has entered into a partnership with Boeing to provide technology and manufacturing expertise, as well as program management and best practices know-how to support the project as it files for aerospace certifications.
The Tawazun Economic Council is to provide Boeing with a state-of-the-art certified facility for “design-specific machined and treated metal aerospace parts and gradual progression to complex sub-assemblies,” according to F&E Aerospace.
CEO of Tawazun Precision Industries, HE Saif Al Hajeri, said:
“The establishment of this capability is a significant step for the UAE’s aerospace industry as the metallic components manufacturing and metallic sub-assembly will be entirely performed in the UAE.”
Mubadala Development Company – a Dubai-based company, announced an agreement to increase Mubadala’s long-term role as a Tier 1 supplier to Boeing. Mubdala now has the opportunity to supply up to $2.5 billions’ worth in advanced composites and machined metals to Boeing commercial programs, including the 777X and 787.
The two companies have also agreed to collaborate in the development of pre-preg and carbon fiber manufacturing capabilities in Abu Dhabi, which is part of the United Arab Emirates.
Ray Conner, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, said:
“Boeing is pleased to expand our relationship with Mubadala, a company that is committed to creating globally competitive and strategic aerospace capabilities in the UAE. We support our customers by leveraging the world’s talent and resources in ways that build a more capable, competitive supply chain for our products.”
Executive Director of Mubadala Aerospace, Communications Technology & Defense Services, Homaid Al Shemmari, said:
“Today’s agreement further strengthens our relationship with Boeing, and provides an important platform as we continue to develop our role as a significant supplier to Boeing of composite aerostructures, and develop Strata into a major Tier 1 industry supplier.”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, and Sharjah.