Le Bourget bouncing back

摘要

After a relatively low-key show two years ago the Paris International Air Show is bouncing back bigger and better than ever. RICHARD GARDNER previews some of the possible highlights of the show. The last Paris International Air Show was rather low key. Apart from sad-ness associated with the retirement of that Anglo-French icon, Concorde, business at the show was overshadowed by the political spat between the USA and France over Iraq. The negative theme included a major downgrading of the US industrial and military presence, while Europe's prestigious new combat aircraft, Eurofighter, was looking seriously threatened. Combined with an airline and business aviation slump generated by the after-effects of 9/11, the atmosphere at Le Bourget in 2003 was not the best for generating deals and looking forward to a prosperous future.