Thousands of international delegates converged on the outskirts of Al Maktoum International Airport for the first day of the Dubai air show on Sunday.
The event opened to much fanfare as the Dubai Police band marched its way through the stands, drums beating and bagpipes in full cry.
This year's Dubai Airshow is probably the best attended that we've seen in many years
Miles Chambers,
Edge
Cancelled last year due to Covid-19, the exhibition has returned to form with more than 1,200 exhibitors from 48 countries, and thousands of delegates expected from November 14 to 18.
The event is an opportunity for the airline industry to finally come together again, after Covid-19 caused organisers to cancel the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget in 2021 and Britain’s Farnborough International air show in 2020.
Deals worth billions of dollars have been signed at the show in previous years, and hopes were high among delegates that the event could be an opportunity to put the worst behind them.
The mood music was positive, with the UAE Ministry of Defence awarding Dh5.23 billion ($1.42bn) worth of contracts hours after the doors opened.
Miles Chambers, director of business development for UAE defence conglomerate Edge, said the company also expected to announce positive news this week.
Edge hosted one of the biggest stands at the event, and showcased 13 new products, including GPS-Protect, a made in the UAE device that stops GPS systems from being jammed by the enemy.
Mr Chambers said it was great to reconnect with clients and competitors in person.
“This year's Dubai air show is probably the best attended that we've seen in many years,” he said.
“The UAE has had such a great vaccination campaign, and opened up to tourism, so people can come here with relative ease.”
Nearby, Emirates Airline showcased a passenger innovation first introduced in 2017, but perfectly suited to a post-Covid world.
Delegates queued to try out the mock-up of their 3.7 metre private suite, which enables affluent travellers to effectively seal themselves off from the rest of the plane.
The struggles faced by airlines affected by Covid-19 have been well documented, but smaller aviation companies have felt the financial chill as well.
Reda El Madbouly is the chief executive of Egyptian company United ATS, one of 371 exhibiting at the airshow for the first time.
“We are all surviving now,” said Mr El Madbouly, whose company supplies aviation technology services. “I think by the end of this year or the beginning of 2022, we will be back to where we were at the start of 2019.”
Telal International, an Emirati-owned company that designs and manufactures pilots and air steward uniforms, also hosted a stand for the first time.
The firm has 1,500 employees, including around 500 tailors and 900 factory staff based in the UAE.
“After the Covid situation, this is one of the biggest platforms for us to exhibit what we do to an international market, so why not be a part of it,” said Hassan Thurabi, 26, the director of the company which also makes traditional kanduras.
“We are strongly present in the GCC sector, but we are looking to move out into the US and European market.”
Israel Aerospace Industries was one many international companies with a presence at the airshow. The company has more than 15,000 employees and produces aerial and astronautical systems for both military and civilian use.
Golan Haver, a senior vice president in marketing at the group, said it was excited to be exhibiting in the UAE for the first time, thanks to the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020.
“This is an open door to find new partners, to strengthen some exciting collaborations. This is also an excellent platform to try to bring business to fruition,” said Mr Haver.
“The treatment that we are receiving is warm, they welcome us, and the UAE is a natural partner for innovating, cutting edge technology. We are sharing the same spirit in terms of start-up, entrepreneurial culture.
“We find a lot in common, and this helps us build future relationships.”
Dubai air show takes off
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
The biog:
From: Wimbledon, London, UK
Education: Medical doctor
Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures
Favourite animals: All of them
