The International Aerospace Exhibition

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Two months prior to the start of the International Aerospace Exhibition the organisers of the ILA, the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and Messe Berlin GmbH, report that advance bookings are at their highest level since this event returned to the German capital in 1992. Between 27 May and 1 June 2008 over 1,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries are expected at the most important meeting place for the industry anywhere in Europe this year. The partner country at the ILA2008 is India, which has announced its largest-ever presentation at any foreign aerospace show.

With over 100 accompanying conferences and workshops the ILA2008 will be the focus of high level meetings by the representatives of politics, business, defence and research. Over 300 aircraft of all sizes and categories will be on display on the ground and in the air. Compared with the ILA2006 expansion has also taken place in individual sections of the ILA such as the International Suppliers' Center (ISC), the Space Hall and the HeliCenter.

Dietmar Schrick, Chief Executive of the BDLI: "The large number of applications for this event reflects the very encouraging level of orders in virtually every area of the aerospace industry. Moreover the participation by many leading companies from all over the world provides proof of the international reputation that the ILA Berlin Air Show has now acquired."

And Stefan Grave, ILA Project Director for Messe Berlin, reports: "Almost the entire display area in the halls and on the open air grounds has already been booked. With India as the partner country, the wide-ranging involvement of the Russian aerospace industries, increased contributions from North America, France, Switzerland, Austria and the Ukraine, as well as numerous combined stands occupied by national and regional aerospace organisations from all over the world, the ILA2008 looks set to break previous records."

With over 300 aircraft on display the ILA leads the world. The Airbus A380, the world's most modern and most advanced passenger aircraft, will definitely be making an appearance at the ILA and other giants of the air such as the Boeing C-17 and Antonov An-124 will be keeping the Airbus company in Schönefeld. Among the aircraft making their first appearance in the general aviation sector will be the Global 5000 business jet from Bombardier (Canada), the single-engined Socata TBM 850 turboprop, the Cessna 350 and Cessna 400 as well as the twin-engined "Shark", a touring aircraft from Slovakia.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) of this year's partner country, India, intends to display its single-engined HJT-36 "Sitara" jet trainer, the light military and civil helicopter "Dhruv" and the "Tejas" light combat aircraft for the first time in Europe.

With EADS, Airbus, Eurocopter, Eurofighter, Eurojet and Arianespace, almost all of Europe's leading companies will be represented with their own stands, pavilions and exhibits at the ILA. The European Aviation Safety Agency EASA will also be attending the ILA with details about its work. The list of leading international firms exhibiting at this event also includes Airbus, Agusta Westland, Alenia, Antonov, Bell-Agusta, Bombardier, CAE, China Aviation Industrial Base, EADS, Eaton, ESG, Exostar, Goodrich, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., Larsen & Tourbro Infotech Ltd. from India, IABG, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Liebherr, MBDA France, Rhode & Schwarz, Rockwell Collins, RUAG, Siemens, Sikorsky, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, Thales, ThyssenKrupp, TITAL and ZF Luftfahrttechnik.

Representing the international manufacturers of aircraft engines at the ILA will be companies such as Ivchenko, Leistritz, Mistral Engines, Motor Sich (NEXPO), MTU Aero Engines, MTU Maintenance, N3 Engine Overhaul Services, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Thielert Aircraft Engines. Exhibitors in the Aviation and Maintenance sectors will include Air Berlin, Ameco Beijing and Lufthansa-Technik.

With the concept of "Space flight all under one roof" the ILA2008 will be combining all kinds of space-related activities, products and programmes within a 3,000 square metre area in Hall 9. This is the largest display devoted to space flight at any of the world's aerospace trade shows. The European Space Agency ESA, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and the BDLI will be introducing current and future European space programmes in the "SPACE PAVILION". The main themes are manned space flight (ISS, COLUMBUS, ATV), exploration (Moon, Mars) and the applications of space flight.

Many German and international firms such as Arianespace, Kayser-Threde, MT Aerospace, OHB-Systems, the specialist in communications satellites Tesat-Spacecom and, from the Ukraine, the aerospace and technology group YuzhMash, will be exhibiting at "SPACE WORLD" . Also included in the ILA Space World section will be the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, which will be displaying the latest versions of the new Angara family of launchers, which are intended to replace the current workhorse of the Russian space programme, the Proton rocket. The Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO will be making its first appearance at the ILA with a review of its wide-ranging work.

For the experts there will also be a programme of conferences with prominent speakers at the new Space Conference Center. The "SPACE DAY" on 28 May will serve as an information and contact centre for space experts from all over the world. The programme will be rounded off by a conference entitled "Earth Observation – Solutions for Decision-Making" on 27 and 28 May 2008. On 29 May the BDLI will be staging a symposium together with the German Air Force on the subject of "The Uses of Space for Security and Defence".

The HeliCenter will present the entire range of civilian and military helicopters and all their forms of deployment, as well as the manufacturers' current programmes and the latest technical developments in aircraft, equipment and systems. Air rescue, police services and aerial work will be widely featured. Military tasks have a particularly important place at the ILA2008. The German Army Aviation Training Centre at Bückeburg, where helicopter pilots for all three branches of the armed forces receive their training, will be represented together with its partners from industry.

Among the events due to take place at the Helicopter Conference Center will be the ROTOR & RESCUE Conferences "Global Helicopter Operations and Heavy Transport Solutions" (27 May), "New Concepts and Challenges in Police Aviation" (28 May) and the "International Flight Safety Workshop and Conference" (29 May). With its HeliHall 1, the chalets occupied by helicopter manufacturers, the Helicopter Conference Center, its own heliport and, just as importantly, a static display of helicopters, this year the HeliCenter will serve as the main European platform for contacts and business for suppliers and operators in this expanding field.

The various sections of Germany's armed forces, consisting of the Army, Air Force and Navy, along with the military divisions of Central Medical Services and the Joint Support Service, will be showing how modern armies are deployed, using the slogan Meet with the Armed Forces. The Air Force is displaying the Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR), Interdiction and Strike (IDS) and Reconnaissance (Recce) versions of its Tornado combat aircraft, as well as the F-4F Phantom II and the Eurofighter, the C-160 Transall transport, the CL 601 Challenger passenger aircraft and a MedEvac version of the A-310, along with Bell UH-1D and AS-532 Cougar helicopters. The Army will be represented by the CH-53G, NH90, UH-Tiger, EC 135, BO 105 and Bell UH-1D. The Navy's contribution will consist of a P-3C Orion reconnaissance aircraft as well as Mk 88 A Sea.

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