Today marks the first day of the 2011 Dubai Airshow -- one of the year’s top events in EMEAI and a very important show for the global aerospace and defence industry’s key players, Honeywell included. At 10am local time this morning, the doors of the Dubai Expo Center opened to let in the first of the 50,000-plus visitors expected to attend over the course of the next few days.
Dubai is an incredible city. I think of it as the gateway to the East - vibrant, sleek; it combines the unmistakable and unique culture of the Middle East with an irrepressible desire to compete at the highest level as a pivotal and established economy. For the 800-plus exhibitors, this is an exciting place to be doing business, as we prepare for five days of networking and engagement with the “who’s who” of Middle Eastern aerospace.
The 2011 Dubai Airshow rounds off another positive year for Honeywell in the Middle East region. The market continues to show resilience to global economic uncertainties that we are facing in the West and, as far as commercial growth is concerned, air transport is on the up. IATA recently reported that Middle Eastern carriers experienced a 9.1% year on year growth in September this year. So it’s of little surprise that the resulting market buoyancy has seen the Middle East produce some of the world’s finest airlines, who have successfully established themselves on the global stage over the past decade.
While I am optimistic about the vast potential of this increasingly prominent market, I must also reflect that such success does not come without its challenges. With over 80% of the region’s airspace reserved for military operations, commercial air corridors are fast becoming saturated. It’s why I fully expect to see a heightened interest in the latest technologies designed to improve efficiency of aerospace operations at this years’ show. In particular, I’m expecting an even greater focus this year on the retro-fit market for these technologies, as airlines seek to maximise the operational capability and capacity of their fleets and airspace.
For Honeywell, the market opportunity in the region has never been greater. The importance of this high growth region to our business will be reiterated through a number of high level announcements involving the Middle East’s largest aerospace and defence companies in the coming days. I’ll keep you updated on these announcements and developments at the show later on in the week. But for now, I wish all of you an enjoyable and successful 2011 Dubai Airshow. Please follow us on twitter: @honeywell_aero
