Business Jet Manufacturers Busy at Dubai Air Show

The Dubai air show has been busy this year with aerospace companies doing deals behind the scenes for rich and powerful Middle-Easterners with sales for private jets and helicopters.

Demands are high for security, good, robust construction and high performance.

Eric Trappier, Chief Executive of French Dassault Aviation, said that over the next 10 years, “We hope to double our orders in the Middle East where we have strong work and which attracts more and more competitors in the field of business aviation.”

Mr Trappier says that business aviation is rapidly growing in the Middle East, because of the demand for flexibility from customers.

Dassault were there to promote the new range of 5X business jets, originally unveiled in October in Las Vegas, which are expected to enter service in 2017.

American Beechcraft believe the region is a ‘key market’ for business aviation and has a market share of 69% for the turboprop products in the Middle East and 88% in North Africa.

“We do see this is a very strategic market for us and we expect growth over the next five years,” said Richard Emery, President of Sales for Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Beechcraft.

He described some of the luxury aircraft as ‘flying apartments.’

Embraer Executive Jets announced a purchase agreement for a Lineage 1000 to Arab Wings.

Style and comfort is a big factor for the purchase of executive jets here in the Middle East.  The analogy of the flying apartment is pretty accurate, but also pretty luxurious, with the incredible designs.

French interiors designer Jacques Pierrejean said “The market has evolved with aircrafts that have changed in size. We are more and more carrying flying apartments.”  His latest project was the design for the interior of an Airbus Corporate Jet for Emirates, who earlier this year launched their VIP charter flights service.

The design is luxurious, with large living room space and mini suites with shower.  The movement towards larger aircraft is a reflection upon the demand for ‘home comforts.’