Dubai Airshow day 1: Boeing bags aircraft orders as eVTOL flies for the 1st time
Dubai Airshow opened today in scorching heat, but the high temperatures didn’t dull the excitement of the hundreds of visitors, exhibitors and delegations who turned out to see the spectacle.
Opening the show was a UAE formation flypast, followed by a nailbiting display by Fursan Al Emarat, flying the newly re-equipped Chinese Hongdu L-15 advanced jet trainer.
Following the fastjets was the first flight at a major airshow of an eVTOL aircraft, with Joby taking the honour of this important advancement. Joby’s air taxi flew some impressive banks and turns, showing off its silent climb and static hover for the crowds.
Visitors were treated to displays from B-52s, F-35, the Boeing 77X and much more throughout the afternoon. You can see the full flying display for day 1 here.
Aside from aircraft action, the show was packed with announcements. Here are some of the highlights.
Boeing snags 1st order with Emirates commitment for an additional 65 777X
Boeing not only sold Emirates another 65 of its forthcoming widebody flagship, the 777-9, but also revealed it is working on a new derivative of the type for Emirates.
The 777-10 will be a stretch larger than the -9, although it is only under study at present. Emirates said it has reserved the right to switch some of its 777-9 orders for the 777-1`0 in the future.
Ethiopian Airlines scoops up another 11 Boeing 737 MAX to power regional growth
Ethiopian Airlines has ordered an additional 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s for its fleet, firming up options left over from a previous order.
CEO of the airline, Mesfin Taesw, said that all of these additions will be for growth, and indicated more MAX orders would be coming, as well as additional 787-9 commitments.
Embraer picks up orders for jets from Helvetic and Air Côte d’Ivoire
Embraer has announced the sale of four Embraer E175s to African airline Air Cote d’Ivoire. The aircraft will be equipped in a two-class layout, and will be delivered in 2027.
Continuing its success, Embraer also announced more E195-E2s for Swiss airline Helvetic. The airline placed a firm order for three aircraft, with options for five more. The first will arrive as soon as next year, and will take Helvetic’s E2 fleet from the current 12 to up to 20 aircraft.
Emirates plans to equip hundreds of widebody aircraft with Starlink
Continuing the Emirates news, the airline has said it will roll out Stalink connectivity across its Boeing 777 and Airbus A350 fleets. All 232 aircraft will be equipped will the technology, and the carrier will offer it to passengers free of charge.
UAE’s EDGE Group launches 42 new products at Dubai Airshow
EDGE has arrived at the Dubai Airshow with one of the biggest product surges in its history, unveiling 42 new systems spanning autonomous drones, smart weapons, propulsion, space technology and secure communications.
From the Omen tail-sitter developed with Anduril to new MALE UAVs, munitions and next-generation radars, the line-up shows how rapidly the UAE defence group is scaling its ambitions on the global stage.
Boeing begins flight testing for Remote Vision System 2.0 on KC-46 Pegasus
Revealed during a media roundtable on the eve of the airshow, Boeing has completed the first flight test of its long-delayed RVS 2.0 upgrade for the KC-46A, launching a major campaign to fix the tanker’s most controversial system and clear the path to full operational use.
The milestone comes as the US Air Force prepares a larger KC-46 buy and Boeing steps up efforts to market the aircraft across the Middle East.
flydubai picks GE Aerospace’s GEnx-1B engines for its Boeing 787 Dreamliners
flydubai has ordered 60 GE Aerospace GEnx-1B engines, plus spares and long-term support, to power its first fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners as the airline prepares to expand into long-haul markets.
The deal, signed at the Dubai Airshow, marks a major step in flydubai’s growth plans and reinforces its confidence in GE’s fuel-efficient, high-thrust engine family.
