Bahrain International Airshow championed collaboration and thought leadership as it returned to the global airshow circuit.
International deals and partnerships worth over USD 1.8bn signed, including purchase of Pratt & Whitney engines by Royal Jordanian, codeshare partnership between Emirates and Gulf Air and Texel Air Bahrain and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) alliance.
Over 30 countries present, 186 participating companies across the display, exhibition hall and chalets, and 200 civilian and military delegations taking part.
Thousands of aerospace and defence professionals from over 30 countries around the world connected at the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS) 2022 for three days of partnership building, collaboration and thought leadership.
Officially opened by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister, on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Bahrain International Airshow, is organised by the Bahrain Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Royal Bahraini Airforce in association with Farnborough International.
The three-day event, which took place 9-11 November 2022, saw 186 participating companies across the display, exhibition hall and chalets and 200 civilian and military delegations taking part. The airshow followed on from Manama Air Power Symposium 2022, which brought together a high-caliber audience of over 300 air force commanders and operators, policymakers, and industry leaders from over 25 countries for the most important regional air power conference in 2022.
New deals and partnerships worth over USD 1.8 billion were announced at the show including the purchase of 30 of the latest-generation, single-aisle aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines by Royal Jordanian Airlines (“Royal Jordanian”), a strategic partnership between MAE Aircraft Management and Asia Cargo Network Singapore and Texel Air Bahrain and Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) new alliance.
Two dedicated conference theatres offered a thought exchange platform, where senior aerospace executives from the Gulf region and international companies collaborated to bring issues of mutual interest to the fore. The programme included panels and keynotes on four key themes: Airports and Airlines, Cargo and Logistics, Women in Aerospace and Space.
Each afternoon saw the skies above Sakhir Air Base filled with the world’s most renowned air display teams and aircraft, with showcases of the Gulf Air 787, RBAF, JF-17, Fursan Al Emarat, UAE Mirage 2000, RSAF Typhoon, USAF F-16 demo team, Global Stars, Red Arrows, DHL B767-300 Flypast, UAE F16, Saudi Hawks and P-8 flypast.
On the closing of BIAS 2022, His Excellency the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Mohamed bin Thamer AlKaabi, said: “The sixth edition of the event has built on the Show’s previous successes and strengthened BIAS’s position as a unique platform for business development, engagement and the showcasing of the latest technological innovations in the aerospace industry. It continues to generate new opportunities in the aviation sector and the commercial and military aircraft markets. BIAS provides the right environment for deal-making and cooperation agreements.
“The event has witnessed fruitful visits and meetings, and we are looking forward to seeing the outcomes of the deals concluded by the firms during the airshow. We would also like to thank the sponsors, supporters, and all participants from delegations and companies for their trust in the airshow, and we look forward to seeing them again at the next Bahrain International Airshow.”
We are truly saddened to hear of the passing of our longest reigning monarch, her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. A beacon of light across 70 years of unrivalled service, Queen Elizabeth II’s values and commitment to her people will continue to live on. We join the world in offering our sincere condolences to the Royal Family.
Pioneers of Tomorrow is bringing the world of aerospace to the next generation of leaders with a dedicated day to inspire, engage and recruit the industry’s future workforce.
Organised in collaboration between Farnborough International and ADS, and as part of the world-famous Farnborough International Airshow, the event will take place on Friday 22 July and will provide industry exhibitors a rare opportunity to engage with and inspire with future aerospace recruits.
PROVIDING VALUABLE INSIGHT
Aimed at school children aged 11+, school leavers, graduates and career movers, Pioneers of Tomorrow will introduce the next generation of leaders, innovators and pioneers to employers, providing valuable insight into the wealth of career opportunities available throughout dynamic, global industries.
With a vast range of on-site Science, Technology, Engineering, and Arts (STEM) focused activities, access to watch the full air display and explore the comprehensive static aircraft display, young adults, parents and guardians will gain a meaningful understanding of what careers across the aerospace industry promise; the skills required and the value that studying STEM subjects delivers. A dedicated Careers Hub will feature within the airshow exhibition, providing a platform for students, graduates and young professionals to access one-on-one specialist advice, topical seminars and a live jobs board.
INSPIRING AND INFORMING THE NEXT GENERATION
Gareth Rogers, Chief Executive of Farnborough International says: “With an estimated shortage of over 173,000 professionals in the STEAM sector, it is vital for the industry to inspire the next generation of leaders and close the skills gap that has been persistent across the last four years. Pioneers of Tomorrow has been developed to not only inspire and inform the next generation, but to provide a platform for the global aerospace industry to address major concerns about its future workforce.”
“With its position at the most important aerospace event worldwide, Farnborough International Airshow, Pioneers of Tomorrow will enable attendees to speak directly to the globally recognised companies and experts on-site about the future of the industry and how they can play a role in the next steps of innovation.”
The Farnborough International and ADS’ Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee was established following Farnborough International’s participation in the AEO/AEV/ESSA cross-association D&I Working Group.
Participation within the industry working group quickly highlighted the need for ADS and Farnborough International to collaborate and bring together a collective of staff to focus and champion DEI inside the organisations.
The DEI Committee was formed at the beginning of 2022 and consists of 15 team members representing all areas and levels within the business, with the aim of developing and sharing insight on practices and strategies that can be put in place to make a positive impact on the businesses as a whole.
A thorough audit has been carried out across the business, focusing on each of the nine protected characteristics, as defined by the Equality Act 2010, plus neurodiversity and menopause as additional focus areas. The findings have resulted in rapid changes being made to business practices to provide more flexibility and choice to Farnborough International and ADS employees, with long-term goals and objectives now in place.
Goals of the DEI Committee:
To champion DEI throughout the businesses – DEI to be at the forefront of business actions, strategies and practices.
To educate and promote understanding of the importance of following the DEI practices and the benefits it brings to our business and our partners as a whole.
To recognise the value of diverse voices whilst promoting employee wellbeing and celebrating our differences.
Regular meetings are held for the committee to discuss findings, results and updates on DEI projects throughout the business, such as changes to internal recruitment and on-boarding processes, external communications, and company culture.
Launching July 2022, the Aerospace Global Forum (AGF) is a revolutionary global platform that aims to champion change and drive immediate action, accelerating transition to the new, net-zero economy.
Developed by Farnborough International, AGF will bring global leaders together, across all industries, sectors, and geographies, together for the very first time to drive conversation and interrogate issues to actively change the world for the better through an aerospace lens.
Taking place in tandem with the world-famous Farnborough International Airshow, 18-22 July 2022, AGF will set the agenda for industry in the years ahead, discussing the new digital workforce and future leaders of the aerospace and defence industry, and preparing organisations for the new skills needed in an AI-fuelled world. Topics include transitioning to Net Zero, sustainability across the defence sector, smart manufacturing and hyper-scaling within the industry to accelerate change.
The future-focused forum will provide pioneers of change with an immersive platform to connect, engage and learn through a diverse five-day programme of inspiring thought leaders and impactful discussions. Leaders from the finance and energy sectors, governments, climate consultancies, start-ups, OEMs and their supply chains will gather for to share, debate and energise collaboration.
Speaking of the opening instalment of AGF, Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, said: “The 2022 Aerospace Global Forum will be the catalyst to create transformation and accelerate tangible change together through bringing the aerospace world together and tackling the challenges we are facing as an industry and the world.
“Climate change is the largest challenge to affect the world and we must react to it as an industry with the support of governments, academics, regulators and innovators. A diverse platform is needed to host these future-altering discussions, leading us to harness our pioneering spirit to develop and curate the Aerospace Global Forum. I urge industry leaders to join us in driving change and mapping out the next steps to achieve a net zero economy.”
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS, added: “The Aerospace Global Forum provides a real opportunity for the leaders of industry to come together with academics, government and innovators to consider the existential challenges that the aviation industry are facing both now and in the future. We need to understand what action can be taken within the sector to overcome these challenges and use the AGF to drive real action and change to ensure the aviation industry can adapt for the future.”
AGF isn’t just a five-day platform. The thought leadership programme has been designed to drive change past July 2022 and create a springboard for a suite of spin-off forums and conferences in aviation communities around the world, throughout the year. Working with like-minded accredited partners, the programme has been developed to produce actionable outcomes and strategies that will hold leading industry organisations to be held accountable in progress moving forward.
The inaugural Sustainable Skies World Summit (SSWS) highlighted the aerospace optimism to meet Net Zero targets by 2050, but only if rapid developments can be made with global policies and technology innovations are efficiently scaled.
The two-day event organised by Farnborough International, in partnership with Sustainable Aviation UK, International Airlines Group, ADS and British Aviation Group, delved deep into the industry’s actions, strategies and goals in decarbonising the global industry. From implementing international roadmaps and utilising Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to the execution of hydrogen and hybrid engines.
During his opening speech, Robert Courts MP, Aviation Minister, said “The skies above our heads have been the stage on which so much history has played out, but the skies would not reveal to the naked eye the looming threat posed by climate change. In the spirit of all those innovators who continue to shape the world of aviation, it is right that we tackle the next challenge here. To limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, we must reach net zero global emissions by around the middle of the century. This means we need to halve global emissions in this decade, so the urgency of our response to this challenge could not be greater.”
Carolina Martinoli, Chief People, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, IAG, stressed the importance of working with governments to implement the right policies: “We are working to secure SAF for the future; however, we urgently need the right policies in place to deliver investors some certainty and ensure that the fuel can be scaled efficiency and purchased at a competitive price. Aviation isn’t a sector easily de-carbonised, so we need to ensure we take the right steps in achieving it.”
Laia Barbara, Sustainable Aviation Community Lead, World Economic Forum, added: “The industry is committed to reducing aviation emissions, and there are new technologies being developed – we just now need to ensure these developments are made available to the wider industry.”
On the first day of the summit, Shell Aviation signed the Global Sustainable Aviation Fuel declaration, committing to promote the acceleration of the development, production, and consumption of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Shell follows in the footsteps of Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Safran and Singapore Airlines who became signatories earlier this year at the Singapore Airshow.
Hosted at Farnborough International’s world-class Exhibition & Conference Centre 5-6 April, the event welcomed more than 50 international speakers across the two-day programme.
10 Year Anniversary of the Bahrain International Airshow
Bahrain readies to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bahrain International Airshow (BIAS), taking place 9-11 November 2022, with a host of new features and programmes.
Bahrain is committed to cementing itself as a collaborative peer within the global aerospace sector and has continued to advance its partnerships with globally established organisations. With a regional aviation industry that generates $130 billion annually for the economy, equivalent to 4.4% of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP), continued investment in the sector by all of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members presents growing opportunities for global aviation players.
Harnessing a growth mindset, BIAS has undertaken a period of significant investment. With a ten-year track record of success, the 2022 Airshow will include enhanced features across the three-day event, creating more opportunities for business, networking, growth and knowledge sharing.
Organised by the Bahrain Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Royal Bahraini Airforce in association with Farnborough International, BIAS has been designed to reflect aerospace and defence industry demands and will harness global expertise to provide thought leadership. The show aims to engage, retain and grow its world-class delegation programme, providing exhibitors with a personal opportunity to network with high level VIP decision-makers.
With a conference lineup that will discuss the future of airport and airlines, women in aviation, Cargo and Logistics and the Space industry, the 2022 edition of BIAS will see globally renowned organisations gather at the Middle East’s gateway to the Gulf to plan for the future.
The growth in air passenger and cargo traffic in the Middle East is expected to outperform those in all other regions in the world by 2032. To support this growth and regional focus, the 2022 airshow will see the launch of the Cargo Hub to facilitate the development of new partnerships and business connections, as well as share insight from industry-leading professionals and exhibitors.
With over 140 companies expected to exhibit across the defence, space, business and aviation sectors, the boutique aerospace event offers visitors the opportunity to strengthen existing business connections and meet key with global senior decision makers and stakeholders of aerospace businesses.
To provide additional improvements to its first-class experience, extensive investment and refurbishments have been made to the luxury airshow exhibitor chalets. The ready-built chalets are positioned adjacent to the static aircraft park and parallel to the runway, providing unrivalled views of both the static and flying display.
Offering one of the most internationally renowned aircraft displays on the airshow circuit, BIAS will also host an impressive static showcase and daily flying displays featuring the latest in both military jets and commercial aircraft.
Following his recent Middle East Business Aviation Association Lifetime Achievement Award win for outstanding contribution to the Bahrain aviation sector over the last decade, H.E. Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications said: “Throughout the uncertainty of the last two years, Bahrain’s agile response to the crisis enabled the Kingdom to remain a constant presence across global sectors, and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back in November this year.
“We’re proud to have established BIAS as a key event in the aerospace and defence calendar and we aim to build upon the success of the 2018 instalment, which saw more than 54,000 trade visitors, 11 of the top 15 global aerospace companies attending and over $5 billion worth of aerospace orders and commitments confirmed across the three days.”
Following the on-going events taking place in Eastern Europe, we have made the decision to suspend Russian participation at the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow, taking place in July.
Our hearts go out to the people of Ukraine, and everyone affected by the current situation. We continue to hope for a timely and peaceful resolution.
We are thrilled to appoint Jacqui Sutton as a non-executive director of Farnborough International, further strengthening the organisation’s evolution and growth strategy.
Farnborough International continues to bolster its position as the pivotal catalyst for building connections, developing innovation, and pioneering the future of the aerospace industry. As the organiser of the most important airshow in the global aerospace industry, Farnborough International Airshow, in addition to a growing portfolio of sector-focused events, Farnborough International is at the centre of innovation.
During her tenure at Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, Sutton held the position of Chief Customer Officer (CCO) where she was responsible for the global customer base, including airline operators, leasing companies and aircraft manufacturers across the world. Leading a multinational global team, she was responsible for the order book, revenue and cash driven by the sale of engines and services, as well as innovative marketing and world class customer support.
In her position on the board, Sutton will support Farnborough International at this pivotal junction in its evolution. Utilising her invaluable knowledge and experience across the industry, Sutton will support Farnborough International in driving its strategy forward and cementing the organisation as the go-to organisation for the pioneers of today and tomorrow.
Sutton will spearhead the refinement of the business’ customer-first approach and plan to build new platforms for the global aerospace industry.
On her appointment, Jacqui Sutton, said: “I’m thrilled to join the board of Farnborough International at this exciting time for the organisation. I’m looking forward to working with the team to drive further innovation within the business and support the next stage of expansion.”
Kevin Craven, chief executive of ADS, said: “I am delighted that we have been able to secure Jacqui for the Farnborough International board. Both her customer facing experience and her passion for diversity will be invaluable perspectives in guiding Farnborough International through its next stage of development and growth.”
Paul Everitt, non-executive director at Farnborough International, said: “I am delighted Jacqui agreed to join the Farnborough International Board. She brings great experience, a customer focus and huge enthusiasm for Farnborough and its potential.”
We are proud to launch a brand-new sustainable aviation event, Sustainable Skies World Summit, which will take place in January 2022.
Created and hosted by Farnborough International in partnership with Sustainable Aviation, the Sustainable Skies World Summit will take place 25-26 January 2022 at Farnborough International’s world-class Exhibition & Conference Centre.
As the first large-scale event of its kind in the UK, the summit will support the Sustainable Aviation coalition’s agenda, which sets out to collectively achieve a cleaner, quieter, and smarter future for the industry.
Following closely on from the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda, the Sustainable Skies World Summit will cement the UK’s position as a leader within the global aviation industry, spearheading pioneering innovations, conversations and building connections.
The industry-leading programme has been designed to challenge the perspective of the aviation industry; bringing to light the difficult conversations for sector leaders, discussing opportunities to accelerate the transition to net zero aviation and reviewing and tackling the outcomes from COP26.
Gareth Rogers, CEO of Farnborough International, said: “I am thrilled we have partnered with the trailblazing team at Sustainable Aviation to develop and host the largest sustainable aviation event in the UK. Sustainable Aviation shares our vision to host the world’s best global sustainability aerospace event; tackling the important topics, stimulating collaboration between leading innovators, and pioneering the next steps to a cleaner, more efficient trade.”
Adam Morton, Chair of Sustainable Aviation, said: “This new, ground-breaking summit at Farnborough International embodies the same spirit of industry collaboration and innovation that is at the heart of Sustainable Aviation. The decarbonisation of aviation is one of the greatest challenges of our time, and we look forward to coming together in January to address the critical topics and big questions around net zero aviation, as well as help drive forward progress on delivering both local and global solutions over this next critical decade.”
