Business aviation in Asia–particularly in China–was the focus of this year’s Asian Aerospace, held in Hong Kong from September 3 through 6. This year’s event also marked the show’s debut at a new venue– Asia World Expo at Hong Kong International Airport–as show organizer Reed Exhibitions moved the event from Singapore after its joint venture with that government ended. Singapore will hold its own show on a new site at Changi next February.
To bolster the event, Reed bought existing shows Aircraft Interiors Expo and Air Freight Asia and combined them with the business aviation contingent into Asian Aerospace 2007. The exhibits of those two shows accounted for about 40 percent of the floor space. According to Reed, the total number of exhibitors was more than 500. There were no public days and no flying display, but Airbus got the event off to a flying start by sending an A380 demonstrator over Hong Kong harbor at 1,000 feet. It was later available for viewing near the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (HKBAC) on the other side of the airport, where five business and regional jets formed a small static display.
