By IANS,
Hyderabad : The Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Sukhoi Superjet 100 are all set to be showcased for the first time in India at India Aviation 2012, beginning here March 14.
The Dreamliner and Sukhoi Superjet 100 will be among the 21 flying machines which will be on static display.
About 250 aviation companies from 18 countries would be exhibiting their products and services at the international exhibition and conference on civil aviation.
While US aircraft manufacturer Boeing would bring the world’s most advanced commercial airplane, Russia’s UAC-Sukhoi would display their much-anticipated Sukhoi Superjet 100.
Making their debut at the India Aviation, Brazil’s Embraer will showcase their new business jets Phenom 300 and 100.
Russian Aerospace Organisation IRKUT will also be participating in IA for the first time. Airbus, Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Hawker beechcraft and Piaggio Aero will be other leading business and commercial aircraft manufacturers which will participate in the show.
The event will also witness presence of major helicopter manufacturers including Augusta Westland, BELL-Textron group, Eurocopter-EADS and UTC Sikorsky.
This year, Britain would be the partner country, France the focus country and the US guest country.
The third edition of the event will be inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh at Begumpet airport in the city.
The event is being organised by the ministry of civil aviation and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and it would be open on the first three days for business visitors only while it would be thrown open for the public on the last two days.
Lt. Col. Vivek Kodikal, regional director (trade fairs), FICCI, said the exhibition, conference, CEO Forum, chalets, static display, demonstration flights and media conferences would be the components of the show.
Eminent speakers, policy makers and experts will address a conference on civil aviation with focus on policy issues and business aspects.
Kodikal made it clear that it is purely a business event aimed at attracting investments in the aerospace sector, into the country in general and Andhra Pradesh in particular.
“This is not a mela,” he said.
Andhra Pradesh is developing country’s first aviation Special Economic Zone in Hyderabad. Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) at its facility here is manufacturing cabins for Sikrosky-92 helicopters. GMR is also developing a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility.
The event will also feature a special session by Andhra Pradesh government to discuss its plans to connect tier II and tier III cities by 70-seater aircraft.
The exhibition area this time will be 20,000 square metres, up from 12,000 square metres in 2010.
The officials, however, said it was not possible to give any figures on the business generated in each edition as the participating companies don’t share the sales, MOUs and other details.