Page 37 - AAA SEPTEMBER - OCOTBER 2017 Online Magazine

IRAN AIRSHOW

or travel time saved by stopping in Tehran Abu Dhabi and Doha, with altitudes of 16, 27 Khomeini Airport City, opening up numerous
rather than Dubai, what are the pros? and 15 metres above sea level, respectively. tax-free and customs-free benefits.
Even Istanbul, which is another rival hub, has Iran made international news fairly
Benefits: Iran’s Neighbours, Airlines a much lower altitude, situated 40 metres recently with staggeringly large aircraft
and the Industry above sea level. Comparatively, Tehran’s orders. Yet, the country is set to order
According to Iran’s Minister of Roads and location makes a noteworthy difference another 600 aircraft over the next 10 years.
Transportation Abbas Akhoundi, Tehran during landing and take-off. n with a y-o-y growth of 20.5 percent
as a regional air hub offers a competitive While it may sound like a most audacious (including Mainland China, Hong Kong,
edge on top of shorter and unidirectional idea, the fact remains that the Middle Macau and Taiwan). Growth remained
corridors. While Dubai may be the de facto East has yielded a plethora of incredible healthy in New Zealand (seven percent) and
hub for travellers from India or Africa, as superlatives, and Iran, with considerable South Korea (six percent). Australia, Japan
well as passengers travelling between Asia wealth of resources and indigenous skills and and the Philippines, all grew at two percent
and Europe, Tehran provides a more cost- know-how, could very well soon welcome to in 2016, while India and Thailand managed a
effective option compared to Dubai, which the region a brand-new air hub. What is also one percent growth rate as per the report.
is amongst the top most expensive cities in certain is that Iran modernising its aerospace Growth rates are expected to improve
the world. Iran is also home to some of the and airports sectors, as well as developing next year on account of an improvement
most beautiful and renowned sites of the this air hub offers new opportunities for the in the oil and gas market. However, with
ancient world, something Dubai would have global aviation industry. Iran, with substantial Australia, China and India accounting for the
an impossible time competing with. Iran’s purchasing power and motive, represents largest fleets of off-shore helicopters in the
neighbours would also benefit from win-win new market growth for the global industry – region, growth rates are unlikely to pick up
opportunities afforded by Tehran’s unique something very positive indeed! drastically till 2020.
advantages, says Akhoundi. One of the In terms of markets for the four major
important goals of Iran’s aviation reform plan Iran’s Aviation Mega Projects rotorcraft OEMs (Airbus, Bell, Sikorsky and
is to increase the capacity of Asia-Pacific to As Iran pushes ahead with its aviation reform Leonardo), Australia remains the largest
and from Europe air routes for the use of 200 plans, the nation is readying to drastically market for Bell, Japan remains the largest
million passengers a year, a goal hoped to be overhaul some 54 airports across the market for Airbus and Leonardo, while
achieved by 2020. country. Iran will also be building seven new Sikorsky continues to lead in the China
Tehran’s competitive advantage extends international airports and transforming market as per the report. The largest fleet
beyond the cost of living. The city is situated its Tehran-based international airport to of Russian made civil helicopters in the
1,189 metres above sea level; an altitude that become the region’s next air hub. region is present in South Korea, whereas
allows for significant fuel savings during The location of this upcoming air hub has India operates the largest Russian military
landing and take-off compared to Dubai, also been reclassified as a free zone, the Imam helicopter fleet in the region. China remained
the market driver in a weak 2016, with
orders for a substantial 85 helicopters.
AERO IRAN 2017: A PLETHORA OF TRADE OPPORTUNITIES MultiMission helicopters make up the bulk
To facilitate Iran’s aviation mega projects, the Aero Iran exhibition is taking place of the in-service fleet in APAC, however, the
on December 10-13 this year. One of the main objectives of the trade show is to coming years are expected to see substantial
amass the international aviation manufactures and supply chain to showcase their demand for search and rescue (SAR)
latest technologies, equipment and services before key government attendees, and emergency medical services (EMS)
high-level delegations and stakeholders. Important attendees who have already
confirmed participation include Iran’s Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Roads and configured helicopters. Despite the oft-
Transportation, Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade, the tri forces (Air, Land and touted potential of India as a key rotorcraft
Seas Forces), the Chief of Aviation and Aerospace, the Chief of Iran’s military Air growth market due to its size and geography,
Force, the Chief of Iran’s civil Air Force, the Chief of Iran’s Industrial Development rotorcraft sales have not taken off in close to
and Renovation Organisation (IRDO), the Vice-President of Science and Technology, a decade. However, new Government policies
and the Chief of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, amongst others.
have recently been announced and these
WHAT’S ON DEMAND? could lead to India emerging as an important
The commodity groups needed to enable Iran’s major airports projects include: rotorcraft market post 2020.
planning and construction consultancy, ground support equipment, ground
support services, communications networks, IT services, security services and
training, surveillance technologies and services, airport operations services and opposite pAge: Imam Khomeini
consulting, air traffic management, air traffic control, sound and lighting, catering International Airport handled 7.2
services, F&B services, travel retail services, waiting room construction, aircraft million passengers and around
64,000 tons of cargo in 2015. A
manufactures, airlines, hangar construction, fuel engineering, runway and taxiway second terminal is under construction
services, and apron construction services, amongst others. and plans are afoot to develop it into
the first airport city in Iran
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