Dubai Airshow 2021 opens to wow visitors with its spectacular air show

DUBAI: The curtain rose on Dubai Airshow 2021, the first major in-person global aviation event to be held since the onset of the pandemic. Featuring 1,200 exhibitors, including 371 new exhibitors, the 17th edition of the mega-industry event is the largest in Airshow’s history.

Following the cancellation of several major international trade shows in the industry in 2020 and 2021, Dubai Airshow is the biggest in-person platform for professionals in the aviation, aerospace, space, and defence sectors across the world to explore partnerships and share breakthrough ideas, innovations, and technologies that can shape the future of the industry.

With representatives from 148 countries participating in the event, 13 of them for the first time, the event will see the display of more than 175 of the world’s most advanced aircraft on the ground and in the air. The five-day event is expected to bring together more than 85,000 visitors at its purpose-built venue at the Dubai World Central airport.

Dubai Airshow includes a host of thought-leadership conferences based on current themes and future trends featuring over 250 leading experts and over 50 hours of content in nine tracks including cargo, sustainability, technology, and space among others.

Dubai Airshow 2021 will have a major focus on technology, providing a dedicated platform for showcasing the latest emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G, cybersecurity, and automation. A brand new feature for the show this year is the Dubai Airshow application, which harnesses the power of AI to facilitate business matchmaking based on profile and interest.

The holding of the in-person mega international event is testimony to the rapid rebound of Dubai’s aviation sector despite the challenges faced by the global industry due to the pandemic. Dubai Airports, which has projected robust growth for Dubai International (DXB) in the second half of the year, is returning to full capacity for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Over the last year, Emirates and flydubai have restored their networks as major markets continue to ease travel restrictions. The Emirates Group posted an 81 per cent rise in its revenue to reach AED24.7 billion in the April to September fiscal period this year and carried 6.1 million passengers between April 1 and September 30, 2021, up 319 per cent from the same period last year.

Dubai Airshow 2021 is the ideal venue for decision-makers in the aviation, space and defense industries to network and explore partnerships with each other. The global industry is also showcasing its new innovations from the last two years at the event. Furthermore, Dubai Airshow connects experts from commercial and business aviation, defence and military, emerging aerospace technology, start-ups, aircraft interiors, air traffic management, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), space and air cargo to facilitate successful global trade. The event also features a wide range of technical solutions that enhance safety and efficiency, which will play a pivotal role in supporting the recovery of the industry in the wake of the pandemic.

The 2021 edition of the event includes a new dedicated startup event, VISTA, which provides a platform for innovators, creators, and market disruptors to display the latest technologies. VISTA features pitch competitions in partnership with major local and global aerospace entities, including Etihad Airways, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Boeing Applied Innovation.

Sustainability is high on the agenda for major players in the industry at Dubai Airshow. Leading industry players are displaying their solutions and sharing new ideas – from sustainable aviation fuels and carbon offsets to hydrogen or electric planes.

Source: Supplied