It always takes a few days after a show ends before all the pertinent numbers and statistics finally come together—how many visitors, how many orders, how much money changing hands. But the real value of a show is not always measured in those values. It is more important to assess the quality of the interactions that take place over three days, and this can also be much more difficult to pin down.
As the numbers go, we know now that there were 452 exhibitors at MEBAA 2018 and 34 aircraft on static display. Of those 34 aircraft, more than a half dozen are making their first appearance at the show, such as the single-engine Cirrus Vision jet, likely the smallest jet to ever grace the UAE skies. According to MEBAA founding and executive chairman Ali Alnaqbi, the show has experienced double-digit growth every year—with 2018 showing a 15 percent improvement over the last edition in 2016.
Alnaqbi is pleased with the interaction he has experienced with regulatory authorities throughout the region. “I want to thank the authorities for working with us. The UAE was one of the first countries to use IS-BAO, and the authorities have been working closely with us. We want to be treated like business aviation operators in the U.S. and Europe.”
Boeing Business Jets displayed the world’s second head-of-state BBJ 787 this week at MEBAA 2018, fresh from its November delivery following the cabin completion by Greenpoint Technologies.
The main lounge features a metallic glass tile wall, the first of its kind certified on a 787, and embossed hand-tipped leather seats, while the master suite has its own lounge and office. Refined material finishes include Calacatta Borghini marble, book-matched American walnut, and boucle hand-tufted carpet. The VVIP Dreamliner, owned by Korean Air, also has a gym with vaulted ceilings, large service galleys, and extensive crew accommodations.
Greenpoint, a Zodiac company, also performed the completion on the first head-of-state 787-8, delivered in July 2016. That interior, by Pierrejean Design Studio of Paris, includes a forward master suite with bedroom, an expansive lounge area, and a guest cabin with first-class seating aft, all done in a palette of neutral brown and gray tones. Dubbed the Dream Jet, that 787 is owned and operated by China-based Deer Jet.
With work now under way in preparation for two more green Dreamliners slated for Greenpoint interior installations, “This expertise is already flowing to our third and fourth 787 completions,” said Greenpoint executive v-p Bret Neely.
Cirrus Vision Jet Makes First Regional Landing at MEBAA
The Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet is making its regional debut this week at MEBAA 2018, introducing the Middle East to the concept—and reality—of the personal jet. “Until now, we didn’t have a real proposal for the audience here at this exhibition,” said Stefano Cestarelli, regional sales director for Cirrus Middle East and Cirrus Italy. “Many people were waiting to see the real airplane, to sit inside, so there’s big interest.” Five SF50s have been ordered by customers in the region, he told AIN.
With a 300-knot cruise speed, the five-place Vision Jet is designed to be as easy to fly as the company’s piston-powered SR series aircraft—the SR20, SR22, and turbocharged SR22T—with safety features including its hallmark Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), which can lower the aircraft to the ground by parachute in the event of an emergency.
Cirrus has previously shown SR models at MEBAA, and has gained a foothold in the region. Twenty-two are in the Emirates Flight Training Academy training fleet, the Royal Saudi Air Force owns 24, and seven are privately owned. As for the difference between promoting the SF50 in this region compared to others, “The interest for the Vision Jet is more concrete here because there is a base of high-quality clients who can afford it.”
Comlux the Aviation Group is presenting this week at MEBAA 2018 an EASA-certified, executive-configured Sukhoi Superjet, marking the model’s debut appearance at the biennial event. Delivered last year to Kazakhstan’s Kazakhmys Corp., the cabin outfitting was performed at Comlux Completion in the U.S. and it’s now operated by Comlux Kazakhstan.
“Doing a Russian plane in America to be certified by EASA, it’s quite a complex exercise,” said Comlux chairman and CEO Richard Gaona. “It shows our ability to work on any airplane in any condition.”
The 19-passenger interior, done in a muted gray palette, is outfitted with a two-zone cabin. The forward lounge has a four-place seating area and flanking two-place club arrangement with wide, comfortable seats; the rear business-class cabin has a three-across (2+1) configuration, with all seats berthable. The cabin retains the airliner version's overhead luggage storage compartments. The SuperJet has fly-by-wire flight controls and a modern flight deck.
The owner worked with Comlux on the interior design, visiting Comlux Completion to choose materials, review designs, and approve work in progress.
Four Sukhoi Superjets in VIP configuration are currently in operation—two in Kazakhstan and two in Russia—but this is the only one with an interior from a Western completion facility. The other Kazakhstan-based Superjet is owned by the country’s National Security Committee, according to Comlux.
The MEBAA Conference opened on Monday at the MEBAA 2018 show in its new on-site format, as senior Dubai aviation officials and representatives of the aircraft manufacturers gave an update on the progress of business aviation in the region and the UAE's role in these developments.
Keynote speaker Jamal Al Hai, deputy chairman of Dubai Airports, stressed the contribution of aviation to Dubai’s economy. “The aviation sector as a whole contributed $26.7 billion to the Dubai economy in 2013, or almost 27 percent of Dubai’s GDP, and supported a total of 416,500 jobs. It is [forecast] to contribute $88.1 billion or 45 percent of the Dubai GDP by 2030.”
Al Hai said general aviation was an important contributor to the aviation sector and the growth of prosperity in the UAE. “The UAE has over 147 private aircraft of different types and sizes, providing businessmen with over 50,000 flights in 2017. This number is expected to grow in the coming years, especially with the launch of Expo 2020 and the emerging role of the UAE in the international arena.”
According to data from WingX Advance, top destinations for UAE business jet travelers this year were Turkey, the UK, France, Russia, and Greece. The UAE saw a total of 18,684 flights between April and October, reflecting a 2.3 percent drop year-over-year.
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