Paris Air Show 2009 Preview
The 48th International Paris Air Show 2009 will take place June 15-21 at Le Bourget Exhibition Centre and mark a hundred years of technological innovation in aeronautics and space conquest with an event that continues to look to the future of the industry.

Exhibiting in Paris places firms among the leading-edge companies and key decision-makers driving the aerospace industry today. Paris Air Show 2009 is the perfect place to do business. Learn more here.

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Show Headlines

Boeing's Dreamliner may fly before the Paris Air Show
Boeing may fly its 787 later this month, before the start of the Paris Air Show. In May, the jetmaker completed the Dreamliner's first engine run as well as the first all-electric start of a twin-aisle commercial jetliner. Now the plane is in intermediate testing, also known as intermediate gauntlet. The company is testing how the airplane's systems will operate in a variety of simulated flight profiles. AIN Online (5/29)

Wisconsin students win rocket contest, to visit Paris Air Show
A team of Wisconsin high school students who won a national model rocket competition will attend the Paris Air Show as part of their prize. The four juniors from Madison West High School designed a rocket for the Team America Rocketry Challenge that shot up 750 feet. The competition, which also includes a $60,000 prize pool, is aimed at generating interest in aerospace. Wisconsin State Journal (Madison) (5/18)

• Team American Rocketry Challenge: Find the latest information about AIA's student rocket competition. Click here.

Agricultural aviation firm will debut military aircraft in Paris
Agricultural plane manufacturer Air Tractor will debut a single-engine turboprop utility aircraft prototype later this month at the Paris Air Show. Based on an agricultural aircraft, the Air Truck AT-802U is designed to perform surveillance and reconnaissance missions and light attack missions. "We envision the AT-802U for smaller air forces who are looking for a simple, very rugged design with few logistics," said design engineer Lee Jackson. Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas) (5/29)

Gulf carrier hints at Paris Air Show orders
Qatar Airways may announce orders for new airplanes at the Paris Air Show, executives said. They noted that the carrier could add 200 new planes worth more than $40 billion to its fleet. Meanwhile, city-state Dubai this week launched its second airline. The low-cost carrier will focus on discount travelers. Google/The Associated Press (6/1)

Aerospace Features

Military demand offers stability for aerospace in downturn
Backlogs for aerospace and defense companies are near record levels, and the industry continues to experience strong demand from the Pentagon. Analysts note that while the economic downturn has brought a sharp drop in demand for commercial aircraft, the economy has had only a limited effect on demand for military equipment and weapons. Aviation Week & Space Technology (5/31)

Airbus, Boeing struggle to book orders for jetliners
Jetmakers Airbus and Boeing are struggling to secure orders this year as the global economic downturn has hurt demand for jetliners. Airbus parent EADS recently warned that it has become harder for Airbus to meet its target of booking 300 aircraft orders this year. Meanwhile, five of Boeing's customers have recently canceled orders, which has left the aerospace company with zero net orders for 2009. Boeing said the majority of the cancellations have been for its 787 jetliner. Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (Australia) (5/29)

• Airbus chief not looking for major orders in Paris: Airbus CEO Thomas Enders says he does not expect major orders at this year's Paris Air Show, and that 300 orders for the entire year would be considered a "dream result." As for 2009 deliveries, Enders said the number could be lower than 2008 levels. "It will depend on a number of factors," he told a reporter. "We still lack visibility on 2010, and airlines lack visibility even more." Reuters (6/2)

Several business jet firms to attend Paris Air Show
Business aviation firms Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft and Dassault Aviation plan to attend the Paris Air Show. Smaller firms, including Pilatus, will also attend. However, Cessna and Gulfstream will not exhibit at the Paris Air Show this year, citing limited marketing budgets. FlightGlobal.com (U.K.) (5/27)

• Four Illinois companies will attend Paris Air Show: A delegation of aerospace companies with operations in Rockford, Ill., will attend the Paris Air Show this month. Leading Edge Hydraulics, Clinkenbeard Products, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Woodward will attend the show with the goal of generating more business. Meanwhile, the Rockford Area Economic Development Council has arranged for executives with the four companies to meet with other executives to discuss business opportunities. WREX-TV (Rockford, Ill.) (5/28)

• North Carolina hopes to attract more aviation firms: North Carolina officials will visit the Paris Air Show next week as part of an effort to attract more aviation firms to the state. The five-member delegation will also meet with 27 companies in five countries during their European tour. The trip has the potential to bring 2,900 jobs to North Carolina, officials said. Forbes/The Associated Press (5/29)

AIA News

48th International Paris Air Show
The Aerospace Industries Association is once again leading the U.S. aerospace and defense presence at the 48th International Paris Air Show, one of the premier industry events in the world. More than 500 exhibiting companies from 37 countries -- including many AIA members -- will converge at Le Bourget when the show opens its doors from June 15-19, 2009. Read more here.

• Schedule of events: See what AIA has planned for the Paris Air Show. Click here.

• Air show news: View AIA's previous years' coverage of the Farnborough Airshow, and the 47th International Paris Air Show.

AIA FastFact

AIA SmartStat
Worldwide first-quarter 2009 backlog for large civil aircraft stood at 7,196, a very healthy indicator for the aerospace industry, considering the difficult economic environment facing most manufacturing industries. Airbus ended the first quarter with a backlog of 3,607 aircraft, down about 3% from both the previous quarter and the same period in 2008. Boeing's backlog was also down about 3% from the previous quarter, while virtually flat from a year earlier. With today's slumping global economy, you are ahead if you are not falling behind, and these numbers show that aerospace is not falling behind. Thus far, the backlog is holding steady, providing the aerospace industry with many years of work.

AIA celebrates 90 years
Since 1919, AIA has been the premier aerospace industry trade association. Take a look at how it all began.

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