Our participation in international exhibitions 2021

This summer Aircraft Industries for the seventh time took part in the MAKS exhibition at Moscow airport Zhukovsky. This event for us has always been a place to establish new contacts, as well as to strengthen existing ties with our partners. Along with the exhibitions at Le Bourget in Paris and Farnborough in the UK, MAKS is one of the most prestigious airshows, as well as a well-liked meeting place for the aviation community of the whole European continent. Traditionally, the aerospace show at Zhukovsky takes place on odd years, just like the French air show at Le Bourget. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the air show in Paris was canceled this year, as was the Farnborough exhibition last year. Thus, the meeting of aircraft manufacturers at MAKS-2021 took place after an almost two-year European break.

"MAKS is a traditional event for us, but in the current situation, this year was much more important. In the culture of the aviation business, the key point is a personal contact with the client. Long-term contracts are nearing completion, as a consequence the Czech aviation industry was able to withstand the pandemic crisis, and personal negotiations are necessary to launch new business campaigns," explains Zbinek Grushka, Executive Director of the Association of Aerospace Industry Manufacturers of the Czech Republic.

The Czech accompanying program at MAKS started on the eve of the opening of the air show. Together with GE Aviation Czech, we organized a conference of L 410 aircraft operators from different regions of Russia. Traditionally, this event is held annually in Kunovice, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, last year's event was canceled. At the same time, thanks to the Czech participation at MAKS this year, it was possible to communicate directly with customers. The event took place on the conditional “Czech territory” - in the premises of the “Pilsen” restaurant in Moscow. The conference was attended by representatives of 31 air carriers operating L 410 aircraft on the Russian market, including service and repair companies. At the meeting, representatives of the Khabarovsk region announced the purchase of two L 410 aircraft for the fleet of the local regional air carrier Khabarovsk Airlines. This region, located on the very border with China and characterized by difficult climatic conditions that complicate the operation of aircraft. Khabarovsk Airlines will have a total of six L 410 aircraft in its fleet after receiving two new ones.

Exactly one week before the opening of the air show in Moscow, the largest industrial exhibition in Russia - INNOPROM 2021 had ended in Yekaterinburg. This exhibition is a key platform for meetings of government officials and business companies in the industry, not only from Russia, but also from abroad. At the Aircraft Industries stand, through a 3D presentation, visitors could get acquainted with the latest modification of our aircraft - L 410 NG. Within the framework of INNOPROM, several important meetings were held with representatives of the executive authorities of various regions of Russia, for example, the Far East, Magadan and Perm regions, as well as with foreign partners. The negotiations that began at INNOPROM, then logically continued at MAKS-2021. Thus, within the framework of the Moscow exhibition, the company's management signed a memorandum of cooperation with the new partner - the Kazakhstan Aviation Industry.

Sergey Martynov, Director of Sales in Russia and the CIS of Aircraft Industries estimates: "For us, the MAKS exhibition has always meant expanding contacts and been a source of a number of new ideas. During the negotiations with our customers, we managed to find new ways of using our aircraft in various areas and applicating different modifications, for example, a modified cargo version."

Besides, the first serial L 410 NG, the latest and most advanced modification of L 410, was presented to the visitors during the exhibition and was highly estimated as one of the best in its category.

"We hope that the discussions with our new potential operators, which started during MAKS, will be successfully continued and our aircraft will soon fly to new destinations," concludes Mr. Martynov.