INTERNATIONAL PARIS AIR SHOW AT LE BOURGET

USPA NEWS - On 11 January 1908, a group of aviation pioneers, including Robert Esnault-Pelterie, Louis Blériot, Louis Breguet and Gabriel Voisin, felt the need to free themselves from the control of the automobile industry and confirming the vocation of heavier-than-air flight. They held a meeting at the Automobile-Club de France to examine the possibility of setting up an employers' association entrusted withe the task of giving “an industrial and commercial character to what had until then been considered as a sport“. The creation of an employers's association of aeronautics induxstires was approved unanimously. Two days later, at Issy-les-Moulineaux, Henry Farman made the first flight over a kilometre in a closed loop...

On 11 January 1908, a group of aviation pioneers, including Robert Esnault-Pelterie, Louis Blériot, Louis Breguet and Gabriel Voisin, felt the need to free themselves from the control of the automobile industry and confirming the vocation of heavier-than-air flight. They held a meeting at the Automobile-Club de France to examine the possibility of setting up an employers' association entrusted withe the task of giving “an industrial and commercial character to what had until then been considered as a sport“. The creation of an employers's association of aeronautics induxstires was approved unanimously. Two days later, at Issy-les-Moulineaux, Henry Farman made the first flight over a kilometre in a closed loop.

At the same time, a certain number of aeroplane builders set up the Association of the Industries of aerial locomotion, an association that showed its dynamism publicly by organizing the first international aeronautical exhibition, at the Paris Grand Palais in the autumn of 1909.

GIFAS has three major missions :

- To represent and coordinate. The GIFAS Board of Directors, comprising senior executives of member companies, draws up action guidelines to reflect the interests and concerns shared by its members. Actions are based on input provided by the association's specialist Commissions and the staff who implement the Board's decisions.

- To analyse and defend the industry's interests. GIFAS critically examines all economic, social, financial, environmental and technical regulations likely to affect its members´ general interests, whether proposed at French, European or international level. Its remit covers issues as varied as R&D, European Defence, transatlantic relations, support for SMEs, country intelligence for the sector, procurement contracts, the environment and sustainable development, security, certification and standardisation, tax affairs, risk prevention and insurances.

- To promote and train. GIFAS promotes the image of the French aerospace industry by: participating in international events and trade shows ; organizing exhibitions, trade and fact-finding missions ; pro-actively distributing information to all media in France and abroad as well as to public and political bodies ; organizing the International Paris - Le Bourget Air Show held every two years.

- Key Figures of the International Paris Air Show

* 2, 453 Exibithors : From France : 1,185 French exhibitors - From international: 1,268 from 48 countries (26 National Pavilions, Top 5 of exhibiting countries : USA, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Belgium) - 335 Chalets
* Exibition space : 125,000 sqm
* 150 Start up - From 21 countries
* 150 Aircraft
* 140 billion dollars´ worth of contracts signed

* 316,470 unique visitors representing more than 500,000 entries - Professionals : 139,840 ; 40% from outside France representing 185 countries - General Public : 176,630 visitors
* The show was inaugurated on Monday 17 June by the French President, Emmanuel Macron
* Prime Minister Edouard Philippe came to the Show on Friday 21 June, when it opened to the general public.
* Nine French Ministers and Secretaries of State and numerous key figures in French politics also made visits.

* 290 Official Delegations from 98 countries and 7 International Organisations - 171 Official Defence Delegations from 88 countries and 7 organisations ““ AED, GCC, G5 sahel, NATO, UN, EU and OCCAR, including 16 foreign ministers, 48 chiefs of staff and 18 vice ministers or secretaries of State - 124 civilian delegations with 9 ministers - 19 delegations from European institutions
* 3,450 accredited journalists from 87 countries
* Events : Paris Air Lab: 54,000 visitors - The Careers Plane: 66 000 visitors

The Paris Air Show (Salon international de l'aéronautique et de l'espace de Paris-Le Bourget, Salon du Bourget) is the largest air show and aerospace-industry exhibition event in the world, measured by number of exhibitors and size of exhibit space. In second place is UK's Farnborough, followed by Dubai Air Show or Singapore Airshow. he latest was the 52nd Air Show, held from 19 to 25 June 2017, attended by 3,450 journalists, 142,000 professionals and 180,000 general public visitors. It claims to be the world's calendar-oldest air show. Established in 1909, it has been held every odd year since 1949 at Paris““Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France. It is a large trade fair, demonstrating military and civilian aircraft, and is attended by many military forces and the major aircraft manufacturers, often announcing major aircraft sales. It starts with four professional days and is then opened to the general public followed from Friday to Sunday. The format is similar to Farnborough and the ILA, both staged in even years.

- Key Figures for the Aerospace Industry in 2018

* Turnover : 65,4 Billion (Euros)
* 77% Civil - 23% Defence
* 85% pf the consolidated Turnover at export
* Orders : 58,2 Billion (Euros)
* 15,000 Hires
* 195,00 Employees
* R&D : 11% of the turnover

Source : International Paris Air Show - Le Bourget. From 17 to 23 June, 2019.

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