Airbus Edges Ahead as Show Deals Top $165 billion
The flying displays are buzzing, airliner orders are flowing and Piaggio has released a shark into the unmanned weapon marketplace. If it’s June, it must be Paris. And the crowds are flocking to the salon. (Photo: David McIntosh)
The flying displays are buzzing, airliner orders are flowing and Piaggio has released a shark into the unmanned weapon marketplace. If it’s June, it must be Paris. And the crowds are flocking to the salon. (Photo: David McIntosh)

The 2013 Paris Air Show is on track to be the one of the highest-value air shows ever in terms of new business announcements. A brief analysis by AIN showed that by the end of yesterday sales on the civil side alone had already topped $165 billion. This total covered airliners, helicopters, business aircraft and engines, but excluded any associated service contracts. It included a lot of as-yet unconfirmed options and commitments, but AIN did exclude any previously announced business (where the customer identity had simply been confirmed).