TIME FOR TAKE-OFF!

THE first Bahrain International Airshow will take place at the Royal Airfield at Sakhir in January and it is hoped the event will establish the island as a hub for the Middle Eastern aviation industry.

The deal to establish the event on the island was struck at the world-famous Farnborough Airshow in the UK last year and plans for the kingdom's event are now forging ahead.

Captain Abdul Rahman Al Gaoud, Bahrain's Under-Secretary for Civil Aviation Affairs, said: "We are extremely excited to host this unique event and look forward to welcoming visitors to the air show in Bahrain in 2010."

His department will be looking after the infrastructure of the show, managing relationships with government ministries and local agencies and drawing together Bahrain's business community. Capt Al Gaoud signed a memorandum of understanding with Trevor Sidebottom, managing director of Farnborough International Limited (FIL), which is undertaking the role of airshow organiser providing technical and professional advice, management and procurement services for the event.

Originally planned to be staged at Shaikh Isa Airbase the show will now take place, thanks to royal backing, at His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's own airfield at Sakhir.

Work is progressing steadily to put in place the structures to accommodate both aircraft and thousands of visitors from home and abroad.

The show will run from January 21 to 23, 2010, and is being billed as 'one of the most influential and prestigious hospitality events in the region' in a brochure which includes a welcome address from King Hamad.

The air show is planned to be a global aviation affair, open to invited parties, offering a platform for product demonstrations and enabling buyers and suppliers to meet with high level delegations from around the Middle East and procurement personnel.

The concept for the show, which will include customer demonstration flights and flying displays by both the Jordanian and Saudi Air Force display teams, emerged from a think tank of industry professionals.

An FIL statement said: "The air show has been created keeping in view the extraordinary growth and development both in aviation and aerospace infrastructure in the Middle East, and the Gulf region in particular.

"With so many opportunities created in the civil, defence and business aviation markets, there is a real need for a business-to-business event in Bahrain for the aerospace industry.

"The air show will be focused on enabling buyers and suppliers to meet with visiting delegations from around the Middle East. The event will cater for the civil, defence and business aviation markets."

It has also been mentioned, behind the scenes, that the Middle East is currently lacking a substantial aircraft repair and maintenance facility and it is thought the show will provide a platform for interested companies to investigate setting up such a venture.

Around 40 corporate chalets are currently being constructed at the airfield, which companies can use during the show, outside which there will be space for static displays and parked aircraft. There will also be opportunities for customer demonstration flights and participation in a full programme of flying displays.

Companies so far signed up to participate are Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, TAG Aeronautics Ltd, Bell Helicopter Textron Inc, Cessna and Bahrain Aerospace.

And this week national carrier Gulf Air signed up to sponsor the event.