MOSCOW. July 10 (Interfax-AVN) - Almost every leading aerospace company, including from Europe and the United States, will demonstrate their products at the MAKS 2017 aerospace show despite sanctions, Aviasalon company deputy general director Nikolai Zanegin told Interfax-AVN in an interview.
"We are so far unable to sum up final results of the turnout, yet MAKS 2015 levels will be surpassed. As of now, there are about 800 companies and corporations from 32 countries on our list. The actual number of exhibitors will be bigger, as every corporation consists of several companies," Zanegin said.
The Western sanctions have not seriously affected the participation of U.S. and European companies in the aerospace show, Zanegin said. "Some countries have reduced the size of their stands but have not ceased participating. Others, for example Italy, have tripled their presence at MAKS," he said.
Boeing was one of the first to apply for participation in MAKS 2017 irrespective of the current geopolitical situation, Zanegin said. Airbus will also be an exhibitor, although the European aircraft concern has reduced its participation in every show worldwide, he said. Airbus will present not only the A350-900 plane but also its latest helicopter, the BK117C2, and this is proof of their interest in cooperation with Russia, he said.
"The scope of participation of Italian and Chinese companies has notably grown instead of falling. By the way, the growth was demonstrated not only by China's major aircraft and space corporations, AVIC and CASC, but also by the leading Chinese research centers represented by the CASIC stand," Zanegin said.
In all, the exhibition will feature ten national pavilions, those of Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, China, India, Canada, Belarus and Iran.
Eighty aircraft will participate in show flights, and another 116 will be displayed on the ground, Zanegin said. "The 'historical exposition' of 21 aircraft will be a separate part of the demonstration program," he said.