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DUBAI AIRSHOW 2009 TRIP REPORT: 16-19 NOVEMBER KEVIN PERRY

Every November brings a chance to visit Dubai International Airport (DXB) for an airshow, alternating between the MEBA (Middle East Business Aviation) show, as last held in 2008, and the main Dubai Airshow, this year. Both shows are held at DXB, and despite continuing reports that they may move to the new Dubai airport, Al Maktoum International (DWC), being constructed 40km South near Jebel Ali, from an enthusiasts point of view, hopefully they will remain at the original Dubai airport. Infact, the 2009 show was to be the first to move to the new 'mega-airport', but the predictable delays there meant it was to stay at DXB, for the time being at least. The IATA code DWC is derived from the 'airport city' concept, originally known as Dubai World Central, which is to be the worlds largest airport at 54sq miles in total size (ten times bigger than DXB!), with six runways. So, unlike at DXB where all the airport movements can be viewed at a close distance on their two runways (so great for photography), it can only be expected that holding the shows at DWC would make this a lot worse, and therefore maybe not worth the effort if you were to only see the show aircraft, with the other airport movements too far away for photography.
This rare chance for aircraft photography at DXB during the airshows can not be understated, as it is otherwise not permitted, in and around the airport. The only exception to this (for most people) for quality photographs, is from the rooftop pool/bar area of the nearby Sheraton hotel in Deira. From this 'safe area', good landing shots of aircraft on finals to runway 10L can be had. However, on most days, the normal procedure is to use '10L until around mid-day, before switching to land in the opposite direction, with take-off's from '30R then over the hotel. Of course, most are then too high for quality shots, apart from heavy take-off's and Russian-built aircraft, which can stay quite low! So, while the Sheraton can be a good spot, it has its limits for photography, and also, if not actually staying there, you will probably be asked to pay a charge for using their 'facilities'!

Dubai Airshow 2009 was again a good, quality show, with the usual good turn-out of enthusiasts, who often seemed to out-number the business visitors at times outside, at what is supposedly as trade-only show! The static display had the usual good amount of aircraft present, while the airport movements provided plenty of added interest as usual. Among plenty of highlights, the undoubted star of the show, although flying only, was a very rare overseas visit by the USAF F-22A Raptor, which was in the UAE as part of a six-aircraft deployment from Langley AFB to Al Dhafra Airbase, taking part in Exercise Iron Falcon. The aircraft actually departed Langley on 7/11, routing via Moron, Spain en route to the Air Warfare Centre at Al Dhafra for a month-long detachment. While there, they joined a deployment of RAF Typhoons and French AF Rafale' among others, for an Advanced Tactical Leadership Course, which must rate as one of the most interesting 'get togethers' between these types to date. Speculation about the UAE's stated plans to have a 'fifth generation fighter' in its Air force 'in a couple of years' added to the conspiracy theories about the real reason for the presence of some of these types!
Although a great coup for the airshow, in the end only a single Raptor visited the show for a practice display on the opening day, Sunday 15th (the VIP/Royal day), but was then absent until the final day of the show, Thursday 19th, when another fantastic display was performed (and almost as good as the 'old' F-15E!). This year also saw other 'remotely-based' aircraft taking part in the airshow, with an RAF Typhoon FGR4 flying on most days from the Al Dhafra detachment, along with the Frecce Tricolori MB-339A(MLU)'s and PdF Alpha Jet E' teams, which were daily flying-only visitors to the show.
Highlights of the static display this year included a personal star for myself, a rare airshow appearance outside the States of an E-8C J-Stars, a real classic modified from a 'real' Boeing 707! 95-0121 began life as a B707-321C c/n 20016 with Pan Am as N870PA in Dec 68. It was then sold to Kuwait Airways as 9K-ACS in May 75 and later ended its civilian life with Florida West as N770FW in May 92, when sold to the USAF as 68-11174. After storage at AMARC Davis Monthan for over two years, it departed in Sep 94 for conversion to an E-8C as airframe P-8, before entering service with the 95ACW (later 116ACW) at Robins AFB, GA.
Other interesting Boeings present, and a nice change from the usual BBJ's, were a couple of rare VIP B737's; the Canadian B737-500 and the B737-200 of Aero Toy Store, fitted with hush-kits and Pininfarina-designed interior. While another highlight, and big surprise, was the presence of the first Aussy Wedgetail, which followed the appearance of the Turkish Wedgetail two years ago. Also among the numerous 'big stuff' at the show was a welcome Maximus IL-76, while among the many executive aircraft present, was the first sight of the impressive Lineage 1000, along with the two nice Greeks and tasty little Indian, which added some flavour! The full list of airshow visitors then (all static unless stated)...

DUBAI AIRSHOW 2009

A6-AJA EMB-135BJ Al Jaber Aviation
A6-AWJ ÀW139
A6-BAE Bell 412HP Abu Dhabi Aviation
A6-ECW B777-300ER Emirates: Arrived from Everett as 'EK777' on delivery during the show on Wed 18th, with a few fly-by's.
A6-EHL A340-600 Etihad Airways
A6-FLA Hermes EC135T2+ Falcon Aviation Services: First 'Hermes' VIP-version.
A6-FLS A109S Falcon Aviation Services
A6-FTJ Bell 206B Horizon International Flight Academy
A6-FTK Cessna 172S Horizon International Flight Academy
A6-FTR Robinson R22B Horizon International Flight Academy
A6-GJC Cessna 560XLS Gulfjet
A6-HWK Hawker 900XP Empire Aviation Group
A6-MAX L-100-30 Maximus Air Cargo
A6-MDB A300B4-200F Midex Airlines
A6-RJA Gulfstream 300 Royal Jet
A6-SHH Hawker 4000
A7-BBC B777-200LR Qatar Airways
A7-CEB CL605 Qatar Executive
A7-DZL Diamond DA-42 Twin-Star
C-FPHS B737-500 Pacific Sky Aviation
D-BGAS Do328-300JET Gandalf Airlines
F-GVFX Falcon 2000EX Dassault Aviation (Demo)
F-WWDD A380-800 (004) Airbus Industries (Demo): Flew daily
F-WWZV Falcon 7X Dassault Aviation (Demo)
HB-FVG PC-12 Pilatus AG (Demo)
HB-HZD PC-21 Pilatus AG (Demo): Flew daily (25 just ordered by the UAE AF).
HB-JFO Challenger 300 TAG Aviation
I-PDVB AP.68 A-viator Vulcan Air
LZ-TIM BAe RJ-70 Bulgaria Air/Hemus Air: VIP-Fit
N3UY Cessna LC-41 Corvalis Cessna Aircraft Co (Demo)
N6UE Cessna 208B Cessna Aircraft Co (Demo)
N11UD Cessna 525B Cessna Aircraft Co (Demo)
N36DA Gulfstream 3 The Abbey Company/Montana Aviation: With hush-kits fitted.
N54CF Cessna 510 LMTC Leasing
N60LJ Learjet 60XR Bombardier Aerospace (Demo)
N92CX Cessna 750 Cessna Aircraft Co (Demo)
N234GX Global Express Bombardier (Demo)
N324FH Bell 427 Bell (Demo): No reg painted on aircraft (ex BPS-07 Bahrain Police).
N349BA Boeing BBJ1 Boeing Co/CIT Group
N430DG Bell 430 Bell Helicopters Inc
N450GD Gulfstream 450 Idaho Associates LLC
N465VL S-92A Evergreen/Conquistador Helo Services: Flew occasional demo flights.
N492SA S-92A (004) Sikorsky Aircraft Corp (Demo): Camoflague colours.
N550GA Gulfstream 550 Nakash Aviation
N605GG CL605 Aero Toy Store
N609TS CL604 Aero Toy Store
N703TS EMB-135BJ Aero Toy Store
N732HB Hawker 750 Hawker Beechcraft Corp (Demo)
N787WH B737-200 Aero Toy Store/Southern Aircraft Services Inc: With hush-kits fitted.
N809LX Hawker 800XP Skylink Arabia: Reg cancelled 9/11 (exported to UAE).
N932XL Cessna 560XLS+ FB Aviation
N979TB Hawker 900XP Aero Toy Store/Rockcreek Aviation Inc
N1387S Cessna 182P (Private)
N9661S Cessna 680 Cessna Aircraft Co
N60125 Beech 350 Hawker Beechcraft Corp (Demo)
OE-FHI Diamond DA-42 Twin-Star Diamond Aircraft (Demo)
OE-FMF Diamond DA-42M-NG Twin-Star Diamond Airborne Sensing GmbH (Demo)
OE-ILI CRJ850 VistaJet
OY-VEG CRJ850 Execujet Europe
PP-XON Phenom 100 Embraer (Demo)
PP-XTE EMB-190BJ Lineage 1000 Embraer (Demo): To be A6-DWA
PT-SER EMB-135BJ Embraer (Demo): With reg N99SC visible (painted over)... this will replace a Gulfstream 4 with Suffolk Aviation LLC.
SX-FCA Raytheon 390 Premier Aviation Services
SX-MAJ Gulfstream 200 Majestic Wings
UR-BXQ IL-76TD Maximus Air Cargo
VQ-BAM Global Express Aero Toy Store
VP-CNJ EMB-135BJ International Jetclub
VT-TET P180 Avanti II Taj Air
9H-AFK A319-100CJ Comlux Aviation
N378BC/A30-001 B737-700 Wedgetail RAAF 2Sq: First of six on order, to be based at Amberley. Formally delivered on 24th, after a three year delay (first flew on 15/11/02!).
(03?) Nanchang L-15 Jet Falcon AVIC: New advanced jet trainer with Ukraine built twin-engines (capable of mach 1.4), first public appearence outside China, flying daily.
F-ZKBS/2019/BHE EC665 Tigre: For French Army, flying daily.
112/113-IQ Rafale C French AF EC01.091 (with EC01.007 badge)
336/113-IK Rafale B French AF EC01.091: Flightline, flying daily.
C.M.X615 M346 Alenia (Demo)
C.M.X616 M346 Alenia (Demo): Flying daily (48 recently ordered by the UAE AF).
C.S.X62127 C-27J Alenia Aeronautica (Demo): Flying daily.
4180 C-130E Pakistan AF: Arrived on Wed 18th (flightline).
95-6385 MFI-17 Super Mushshak Pakistan AF: Flying daily.
97-6394 MFI-17 Super Mushshak Pakistan AF
06-09-819 K-8P Pakistan AF
ZJ941/QO-J Typhoon FGR4 RAF 3Sq: Flying only (most days).
P-207 AW139 UAE/Abu Dhabi Police
065 AH-64D UAE Army
2609 UH-60M UAE Army
3060 F-16E UAE AF Shaheen 1/2Sq: Flightline, flying daily.
3066 F-16E UAE AF Shaheen 1/2Sq
N106HX Boeing AH-6I 'Little Bird': Demo in camoflague colours (first flew 16/9). Flightline, daily demo flights.
59-1488 KC-135R USAF 132ARS/101ARW 'Maine': Arrived on Wed 18th (flightline).
85-0079/EL B-1B USAF 34BS/28BW 'T-Birds' '79 Master Of Disaster'
88-26109/LN HH-60G USAF 56RQS
89-1192 C-17A USAF 437AW 'The Spirit Of Charleston': Flew local flight on Tue 17th.
95-0121/GA E-8C USAF 16ACCS/116ACW: On return home to Robins AFB, routed via Flamborough West Track on Sat 20th, AAR with Quid 89 58-0100 KC-135R 100ARW.
97-0221/LN F-15E USAF 492FS/48FW '492FS': Flightline, flying daily.
97-0222/LN F-15E USAF 492FS/48FW
97-5306 WC-130J USAF AFRC 53WRS/403WG 'Hurricane Hunters': Flew local flight on Wed 18th (see DTVMovements 12/11!).
03-4051/FF F-22A USAF 27FS/1FW: Flying only on Thu 19th
165828/NH-602 E-2C-2000 USN VAW-117 'CVW-11 USS Nimitz'
166434/NH-200 F-18E USN VFA-14 'Fighting Fourteen USS Nimitz'