As well as its day-to-day task of catering for business aviation in Abu Dhabi, Al Bateen Executive Airport is getting ready for the second Abu Dhabi Air Expo (March 5-7, 2013), billed as “the only general aviation exhibition in the Middle East.” Organizers appear to be attempting to incorporate light and sport aviation, whereas MEBA is mainly a business aviation show, otherwise its claim to be the “only” show might suggest a strategy to become the new number one event in the region for the sector.

Air Expo officials anticipate a display of more than 120 aircraft, including helicopters, sport aircraft and an Airbus A319 from locally based Rotana Jet. Corporate/VIP aircraft will feature strongly.

Also known as the Al Bateen Expo, the show site has doubled in exhibition space to cope with an increase in demand. Many exhibitors were signed up during the NBAA show in the U.S. at the start of last month. Influential OEMs Bombardier, Daher Socata, Dassault, Embraer and Gulfstream have committed to the event. –D.D.