INDIA AVIATION 2008 - Lights, Camera, Fly

India Aviation 2008 promises to be a parade of the who’s-who of the industry.

October 15 will see minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel inaugurate the first ever international exhibition and conference on Indian civil aviation, India Aviation 2008, at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad. Dignitaries expected to be present at the inaugural include Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Ministry of Civil Aviation Secretary M. Madhavan Nambiar, NATS Chairman John Devaney, Administrator of US-based Federal Aviation Administration Robert A. Sturgell and FICCI President Rajiv Chandrashekhar.

A spectacular fly-past by IAF fighter jets and flying display by Sarang helicopters, followed by parasailing, parajumping and hot air ballooning by Aero Club of India will mark the occasion. Coinciding with the closure of the inaugural function, an Airbus 319 will be inducted into Air India. Ministerial delegations from more than 20 countries will witness the show. Subsequently, a CEO’s Forum, comprising CEOs from 38 major corporate from across the world, will be presided over by the Civil Aviation Minister.