Boeing confirmed that the 777X will make an appearance in the eagerly-awaited Dubai Airshow. And it won’t be the only Boeing product there!
Fans of airshows of all shapes and sizes had to be extra patient during the pandemic. This year saw the return of Sun n’ Fun and Oshkosh, as well as several smaller GA and military shows. But as impressive and exciting as these are, they are not the kinds of shows that see the truly big commercial aviation deals.
For this sort of thing, we have events like Farnborough or the Paris Airshow. Both were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 respectively. So it has been a while since the manufacturers have had the chance to showcase their wares, where it matters. And this makes the Dubai Airshow really important – so Boeing and the 777X couldn’t be absent. But for a while, it seemed like they would be.
The show’s organizers had published a list of participating aircraft for weeks now. Airbus will be there in force: single and twin-aisles, business jet versions and helicopters, all feature heavily. But finding Boeing in the billing was difficult. Individual airlines had lined up Boeing airliners, but the company itself seemed to have no plans to bring aircraft.
There were rumours that Boeing would bring the 777X to Dubai. But there was no official confirmation from the company or the airshow organizers. This changed last Thursday. Boeing announced that the 777X will make its first airshow appearance in Dubai. Not only that, the company will participate with virtually everything it makes.
The 777X And The Rest Of Boeing In Dubai
Boeing will bring its 737-9 ecoDemonstrator, an Etihad Airways 787-10, a flyDubai 737-8, and of course the 777-9 flight-test aircraft. Military customers won’t be disappointed either. There will be a KC-46A (767 air tanker), P-8A Poseidon, MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, C-17 Globemaster, F-15EX Eagle II, T-7A Trainer, AH-64 Apache and CH-47F Chinook. The 777X will have plenty of Boeing company in Dubai.
Kuljit Ghata-Aura, president of Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa, said:
“Boeing is excited to participate fully in the Dubai Airshow, the first global airshow in almost two years, and to be able to engage directly with customers, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders from the region and beyond. The show is a perfect opportunity to come together and remind the world of the importance of our industry and discuss technology and innovations that are critical to advance a more sustainable aerospace industry over the long term.”
The 777X will participate both in the static display and in the flying program of the Dubai Airshow. As we saw, Boeing has a lot to prove regarding this aircraft. And many eyes in the Middle East are looking on intently. Dubai is home to Emirates, the launch customer of the 777X. The company has expressed its displeasure both for the program’s delays and for a lack of information from Boeing.
The Dubai Airshow could also be a chance for Boeing to announce a cargo version of the 777X. But Airbus could also take the opportunity to announce a launch customer for their A350 freighter. Again – this is the first such show for two years. And if anyone plans to make an impression, this is the time AND the place.
