2021's global aviation extravaganza to take off in Dubai in November

The Dubai Airshow will open the doors of its seventeenth edition from 14 to 18 November. The most populous city in the Emirates will host the aviation world's top managers and executives to give them the opportunity to get a first-hand feel for the level of confidence that exists to overcome the serious effects of the pandemic.

As the only major international aerospace trade fair to be held in person in 2021, the organisers of the Dubai Airshow hope that it will serve as a springboard for economic recovery. Airline losses in 2020 alone amounted to 118 billion dollars, according to estimates by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

A highly anticipated event for all companies in the different areas of activity of civil and military aviation, it will be the meeting point where the main innovations in commercial aviation for passengers, business and cargo, military aeronautics and the design of aircraft interiors will be presented and exhibited. It will also showcase the latest developments in engines, simulation, air traffic control, maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft, helicopters and drones.

Held at Dubai World Central adjacent to the international airport in the south of the city, organisers will draw on lessons learned at last February's IDEX Defence and Naval Exhibition NAVDEX to avoid COVID-19 contagions from exhibitors, attendees and invited authorities from around the world.

The Dubai Airshow management team will adopt protection protocols similar to those applied at the two aforementioned events to preserve the health of attendees and ensure the success of a large show, which in 2019 had 1,288 exhibitors, 161 aircraft on static and in-flight display and 84,043 participants, according to official figures.

In addition to new versions of civil and military aircraft, helicopters and drones, the exhibition will showcase numerous innovations and applications in 3D fabricated structures, robotics, cybersecurity, 5G communications, Internet of Things, augmented reality and artificial intelligence. All of the above, in the view of Badr al-Olama, CEO of the aerospace arm of Mubadala - the UAE's sovereign wealth fund - is the result of having implemented "urgent digital transformation measures during the pandemic that are now going to be key to recovery".

The 2021 edition of the Dubai Air Show will pay special attention to emerging technologies and to promoting the presence of start-ups from the industrial and logistical fabric of the aerospace field. The aim is to multiply new opportunities to increase the safety, productivity and profitability of the aviation and space industry. 

The Dubai Air Show is one of the busiest air shows in the world for five main reasons: important technological innovations are showcased, multi-million dollar contracts are signed and announced, and the luxury and attention to detail in the open-air exhibition grounds and halls.

This is compounded by the timing of the event. Temperatures in Dubai in mid-November are pleasant - between 22°C and 31°C - and the sun shines for about ten hours. In contrast, in the northern hemisphere, i.e. in Europe and the United States, it is the middle of autumn and the weather is cold and rainy. Another reason to come is that visitors are captivated by impressive aerial displays by the official aerobatic teams of several countries.

The 2021 edition is likely to see the return of the aerobatic patrols that evolved in the air in 2019, those of the Saudi Arabian, Emirati and French air forces. The host country's formation is called Al-Fursan, flying Italian Aermacchi MB-339NAT jets painted in black and gold.

The Arabian Patrol is called the Saudi Hawks, flying British BAE Hawk jets in the green and white colours of the Saudi flag. And the French Patrol performs its displays in its veteran Alphajets coloured to resemble the French flag. Also taking part in 2019 was the British civilian aerobatic squadron Blades, which specialises in daring manoeuvres with its small Extra E-A 300 propeller planes, causing exclamations of admiration from those who see them.

In addition to the aforementioned flight demonstrations, the latest generation of fighter aircraft will be demonstrated by test pilots. In November it will be possible to see the improvements made to the American E-2D, A10, F-15E, F-16, F-22 and F-35 military aircraft, the French Mirage 2000 and Rafale, the European Eurofighter and the Spanish-built Airbus C-295 military transport, which are used by many of the air forces of the countries in the region. 

On the civilian side, the last edition was another bloodless contest between the two major aircraft manufacturers, the American company Boeing and the European company Airbus. Both competed to announce major contracts. But it was Airbus that came out on top, signing 170 aircraft - 50 purchased by Emirates for $16 billion - while Boeing stalled with orders for 70 aircraft. At the end of the event, the volume of contracts was $54.5 billion, a figure that will be difficult to reach by 2021.

However, commercial aviation is confident that the pandemic vaccination being carried out in all countries, the gradual reopening of borders, the increased availability of air routes and the reduction in ticket prices will encourage manufacturing contracts and increased travel demand in the fourth quarter of 2021. It should be noted that the fall in ticket demand in 2020 was 65.9% compared to 2019.

The Dubai Air Show is under the patronage of Vice President, Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the Union of Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. Organised by the Tarsus F&E business group, it is supported by the UAE Ministry of Defence, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports and Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS).