The Dead District: ILA Berlin Air Show 2012

Saturday, September 15, 2012

ILA Berlin Air Show 2012

The first ILA to take place on the new exhibition grounds is all set for success. From 11 to 16 September more than 1,100 exhibitors from around 40 countries are expected to come to Berlin ExpoCenter Airport, directly adjacent to BER Berlin Brandenburg International, the capital's future airport. Thus ILA 2012 is on course to equal the records set at the last event. For the first time exhibitors representing Estonia, Greece, Ireland and Serbia will attend. Current booking levels indicate a significant increase in participation by exhibitors from India and Japan as well as from neighbouring European countries. Poland, this year’s partner country, will host its largest display to date at the ILA and will be represented by all of its major aerospace companies. Leading international exhibitors will include Airbus, Antonov, Arianespace, Astrium, Beriev, Boeing, CADES, CAE, CASSIDIAN, Diamond, Diehl, EADS, Eurocopter, ESA, the Fraunhofer Institute, Irkut Corporation, Ivchenko, Liebherr Aerospace, Lufthansa Technik, MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation, MD Helicopters, MT-Aerospace, MTU, Northrop Grumman, OHB, Oboronprom (Russian Helicopters, United Engine Corporation), IABG, Pratt & Whitney, Premium Aerotec, Raytheon, Rheinmetall, RECARO, Rockwell Collins, Rolls-Royce, ROSKOSMOS, Sukhoi, RUAG, Sikorsky, SKF, TATA and Thales.

Aircraft from all eras

Aircraft of all sizes, in all categories and from all eras will be on display both on the ground and in the air at the Berlin Air Show. Aerial displays of the A-400M Military Airbus, the A-380 Airbus (the world’s largest airliner) and Eurocopter’s X-3 hybrid demonstrator will be major highlights at the show. Over a three-day period, as part of its aerial displays, this year’s partner country Poland will present its national aerobatics team, Biało-Czerwone ISKRY (White and Red Sparks), with six TS11 jets, and a Polish version of the Black Hawk helicopter. Two teams from Italy, the Pioneer Team with four Pioneer 300 jets as well as the We-Fly Team with three FlySynthesis Texans, will also giving aerial demonstrations of their skills. PC Aero’s Electra One Solar will be on display for the first time, showing that progress is being made towards achieving solar flight. Electrically powered and with wings featuring solar panels, it is almost completely noiseless in flight. Early cargo planes on display will include a DC-3 and DC-6 from Red Bull, a Lisunov Li-2 and, a special highlight, a Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation from Breitling (one of currently only two airworthy planes in the world). Military flying displays will include historical aircraft, ranging from a Messerschmitt Me-108, Me-109 and Me-262 to a Lockheed P-38 Mustang and Hawker Sea Fury, as well as modern fighters, among them a Eurofighter, McDonnell Douglas F-18 (from Finland) and a MiG-29 from this year’s partner country Poland.

The sections Commercial Air Transport, ILA HeliCenter, Aerospace, Military Aviation, the International Suppliers Center ISC (11 – 13 Sept.) and the ILA CareerCenter (14 –15 Sept.), all of which are booked up, will demonstrate the cutting edge of technology of the present day and the future. The UAS Plaza with its display of unmanned aircraft systems, Alternative Aviation Fuels and roger Airfield, with its new format for General Aviation, are all new sections at the show.

Aerospace: Space meets Earth

With the Space Pavilion, Space Conferences/Events and Aeronautic & Space World as its three main concepts, this year the Aerospace section will again feature a high-level meeting of experts and a unique discovery world for the public, thereby underlining the ILA’s international standing as the leading trade fair for the aerospace community. It is Europe’s main meeting place for decision-makers from politics, industry, research, science and space agencies as well as for civil and military aerospace customers. The focus is on the Space Pavilion organised by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the German Aerospace Industries Association e. V. (BDLI). Unmatched anywhere in Europe, the pavilion has already received numerous international awards. Under the heading of “Space for Earth“ and in space-like surroundings, the partners involved will present all of Germany and Europe’s leading space projects and programmes on a display area covering 1,500 square metres.

At the high-level Space Conferences the main event will be Space Day III on Wednesday afternoon (12 Sept.). Senior executives of the aerospace industry are expected to attend who will discuss this sector’s impact on our everyday lives and on economic growth. Federal Minister of Economics Dr. Philipp Rösler has agreed to act as patron. The Aeronautics & Space World will round off the aerospace display at the ILA, which is where the stands of the international aerospace community are. Exhibitors include the Federal Ministry of Economics, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics (DGLR) and numerous international and German aerospace companies and organizations, including Russian Roscosmos.

ILA 2012 is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The first three days of the show (11 to 13 September) are reserved exclusively for trade visitors. On the Open Weekend for the public (14 to 16 Sept.) the main attraction will be a world-class programme of flying displays.

Aerial Photography