The Abu Dhabi Air Expo, set for next March, will be the first general aviation exhibition in the Middle East, organizers said this week. “With more and more requests from aircraft operators to establish their businesses here, it is logical for us to respond to this demand by creating a major international general aviation event,” said Stephen Jones, general manager at Al Bateen Executive Airport. Aircraft sales in the Middle East have grown by 35 percent in the last two years, including jets, turboprops, and piston aircraft, adding up to about 10 percent of the global market, according to the news release.
The show will be run by the Adone Events Organisation, the same folks who have put on the Cannes airshow for the last six years, and it is “designed for owners and pilots,” according to the event web site. It is scheduled for March 6, 7, and 8, when weather in the region is generally good and temperatures are mild. Exhibits are expected to range from ultralights to transcontinental jets, plus an array of services such as flight schools, equipment, and financing. The site offers over 200,000 square feet of exhibition space and will host more than 150 aircraft on static display and nearly 300 exhibitors, for an expected audience of 15,000 visitors.
