Thursday, June 7, 2007

Welcome to the Airshow!

Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and MiG-29OVT are scheduled to take part in the daily flying displays, in addition to the Aermacchi's M346 jet trainer and Airbus’s A330 MRTT aerial tanker aircraft, which is competing the Boeing 767-200 for the US Air Force aerial tanker meda-deal.

Military helicopters will be represented by Eurocopter’s Tiger and NH90. Among the commercial and business jets planned for the display are the giant A380 and extended range version of the triple seven - Boeing’s B777-300ER.

Several regional and business jets are expected, including Dassault Falcon 7X, Embraer’s EMB 190, Legacy 600, Gulfstream’s G450 and G550. A newcomer at Paris is the BA609 from Bell-Augusta, the first commercial tiltrotor aircraft.

The MiG-29OVT will participate in the flight display, demonstrating breathtaking maneuverability and performance offered by the thrust-vectored engines. Sukhoi will not participate in the flight display. The company will display a full scale model of its new SuperJet-100 (formerly designated RRJ). The aircraft is undergoing static tests in Russia and is expected to be ready for the first flight by the end of 2007. Engines, avionics, missiles and radar for the MiG and Sukhoi fighters will be highlighted by many Russian exhibitors, including radar producer NIIR-Fazotron, developer of the Zhuk AESA radar, Chernysjev engine plant and others. Almaz-Antei will also participate, highlighting its air defense and missile defense systems, challenging NATO's declared willingness to join forces with Russia to create a reliable missile defense system for Europe.