The 2009 Asian Aerospace show in Hong Kong is set to achieve significant growth in visitor numbers with organizers reporting that pre-registrations are more than 100 percent up on the same period ahead of the inaugural show in 2007. As of this week, just over 2,250 trade visitors had registered for the September 7 to 10 event and Reed Exhibitions aims to draw more than 10,000 for the strictly business-to-business show, including 3,000 from China alone.

One new feature of Asian Aerospace will be the Asian Business Aviation show that will form part of the wider event through a recent agreement between Reed and the Asian Business Aviation Association. There are already nine business aircraft registered for display at the show and this number is expected to rise to at least 15. Dassault, Embraer and online executive charter booking service have already committed as participants.

This week Rolls-Royce became the latest major aerospace group to book space at the show. The UK engine maker will join Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier and China’s new airframing group COMAC, which will be showcasing plans for its new 150-seat 919 jetliner.

According to Richard Thiele, Reed Exhibitions head of global sales, Asian Aerospace will see the long-awaited emergence of the Chinese aerospace supply chain and, as such, will present an excellent opportunity for Western companies to forge partnerships there. Also present will be representatives of major Chinese airlines.

“This is still the gateway to China and [despite the economic downturn] the show will be of a similar size to the last one,” he told AIN. Reed has invested in having several parts of the show site redesigned at the AsiaWorld-Expo and Congress center at Hong Kong International Airport.

There is no flying display at Asian Aerospace and it is an entirely civil aerospace event with no military content, but it does feature an extensive program of conferences covering topics such as air freight and flight training.