Aero India all set to be another Farnborough

The Aero India 2007, international aerospace exposition organised by the ministry of defence, is slowly but surely becoming another Farnborough Airshow.

The exhibition is expected to see almost 10 per cent rise in international participation this year.

While the Farnborough Airshow in 2006 had about 1,480 companies as participants, the Aero India, in its sixth edition, is going to have 503 companies, of which 300 will be international players.

Although Farnborough is one of the oldest air shows in the world, which dates back its origin to 1948, Trevor Sidebottom, managing director of Farnborough International Limited (FIL), which organises the airshow and is a co-organiser of Aero India 2007, feels that Aero India has enough potential to become another Farnborough. 
 

VITAL STATISTICS
Number of exhibitors	503
International exhibitors	300
Int'l participation in sq m	8,200
Nat'l participation in sq m	7,100
Outdoor area in sq m	3,000
Gross area in sq m	30,000
Number of countries	33
Number of chalets	50
Number of aircraft	50

FIL was roped in for Aero India this year, aimed at increasing the international participation.

Trevor says FIL's association with Aero India 2007 as a provider of international sales and marketing has turned out to be a success.

"There is a 10 per cent rise in international participation, as compared to Aero India 2005. Now Aero India is just behind the Farnborough and Paris airshows and I feel there is tremendous future for the show," Sidebottom told Business Standard.

The price per stall for exhibitors in Aero India is no way less than what they pay at Farnborough Airshow.

According Sidebottom, while companies taking space on lease at the Farnborough Airshow pay about 211 pounds ($415) per square metre, here it is about $400 per sq m. "It is similar to what they pay in Farnborough," adds Sidebottom.

Of the 1,480 companies that participated in Farnborough International Airshow 2006, more than 1,000 were foreign companies. Of the total exhibitors, 11 per cent was purely defence suppliers and 41 per cent a combination of military and civil aircraft manufacturers and suppliers. Purely civilian aircraft manufacturers and suppliers formed the remaining chunk.

Sidebottom says that although the Aero India participants are mainly defence players now, the number of civilian aircraft manufacturers is expected to grow in future.

"I feel that the show will grow much more, with more civilian aircraft participation since market opportunities in India is tremendous for civil aircraft suppliers," he added.

K P Singh, secretary, defence production, had said at a press meet earlier that 33 countries were participating in the Aero India this year. Besides, 35 chiefs of the air forces of various countries have already arrived in Bangalore.

"The Aero India 2007 will be one of the largest and well-attended airshows in the world. We have got overwhelming response from international community," Singh said.

He said the ministry of defence had identified Bangalore as a permanent location for the Aero India.