The Italian Aerospace Information Web
by Aeromedia - corso Giambone 46/18 - 10135 Torino (Italy)
Success of the ILA 2002
With 1,067 exhibitors from 40 countries and 340 aircraft of every size and category, Berlin's ILA 2002 aerospace show was the largest and most international in the 93 year history of this event. From 6 to 12 May the three trade visitors' day and the four days for the general public attracted even slightly higher attendances (215,150) than the 212,000 recorded at ILA 2000. Compared with the previous edition, attendance by trade visitors rose from 84,000 to 90,000. At the sixty accompanying congresses some 4,000 international experts discussed current issues every aspects of aviation and space flight.
During the ILA 2002 important discussions took place about the future of Fairchild Dornier and progress were also made on the subject of Europe's largest procurement project, for the A 400M military transport. The agreements between EADS e IAPO for the marketing of Beriev Be-200 amphibian and between EADS e RSK MiG for the upgrading of the MiG-29 Fulcrum, underline the special importance of the ILA for East-West joint ventures and colaborative programmes. MTU Aero Engines regards the letter of intent signed with Pratt & Whitney Canada for the Advanced Technology Fan Integrator as the basis for combimed business with a potential commercial value running into billions of dollars. Exemples of this success include the orders obtained by Diehl Avionic Systems for the Airbus A 380 programme, valued at 800 million USD, and the 750 million USD order for Rolls-Rolls-Royce engines to be fitted to Deutsche Lufthansa's A 380 megabody airliners.
ILA 2002 was the world show-case for the new-born Airbus A 318 (first flight at Hamburg, January 15 this year), the European debut of the Raytheon Premier I and and Yakovlev Yak-130D light combat/trainer, of the Diamond Twin Star light diesel twin close to its first flight, of the JT8D-219 powered Boeing B.707 and many other sport aircraft. Eurocopter made its debut here in Berlin, at ILA 1992, and this year edition is the proper occasion to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this very succesful enterprise.
Compared to the main European aerospace air shows, the ILA offers a less gigantic dimension and a better system to exhibit the aerospace products, well divided in their various categories and spaced on the display area: transport aircraft, military aircraft, general and corporate aviation, gliders, microlights and helicopters. As usual, ILA was also the occasion for the gathering of a quite large amount of historical aircraft of every type and age, including the thunderig Messerschmit Bf 109G-6 sponsored by EADS Germany.
Aeromedia wishes to thank Lufthansa for the exceptional collaboration received in occasion of ILA 2002.
In the pictures: Aerial view of a part of the the ILA 2002 display area. (Messe Berlin/BDLI)
Airbus A 318-121 F-WWIA, prototype of the Airbus 100-seater, made its public debut at ILA 2002.
(Aeromedia)
(Aeromedia, June 2002)