Dubai Airshow closes with $14bn on-site orders

The five-day Dubai Airshow will close on Thursday with an on-site aircraft order worth $14 billion (Dh51.5 billion), organisers have revealed.

The 11th edition of the Middle East’s largest aviation event has been relatively quieter amid the prevailing economic crisis that hit the travel sector hard. Without the Gulf carriers’ usual spending spree, this year’s sales figure is stunted when compared to the massive $155.5 billion on-site purchases recorded during the Dubai Airshow 2007.

Prior to the closing of the airshow, DAE Capital, a subsidiary of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, placed a $40 million order for wheels and carbon brakes for its planned Boeing 737 fleet.

The order, to supply 70 Boeing 737 next generation aircraft to be delivered from the US plane maker from next year, went to Messier-Bugatti of France with DAE Capital CEO, Bob Genise, citing its “lightweight design, lower cost of ownership and resultant fuel burn reduction” as key selection factors.

The deal brought to $1bn the total value of orders placed by the Dubai-headquartered global aerospace, manufacturing and services corporation.

On Wednesday, European plane-maker Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding with soon-to-launch Senegal Airlines for six aircraft comprising four A320s and two A330-200s worth a total of $670m.

The UAE Armed Forces also purchased two SAAB340 early warning aircraft worth $223m. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2010 with the second due for delivery around the first quarter of 2011. The deal is being seen as a precursor of further defence orders to come.

The country’s armed forces also signed a contract with Pilatus to buy 25 basic training PC-21 aircraft, worth $511m. The contract also covers several training simulators, with all systems and services, to train and qualify pilots to operate fourth and fifth generation aircraft.