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AeroExpo 2010 Marrakesh

The first AeroExpo Marrakech, was held on 2008 under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, under the aegis of the Ministry of Equipment and Transport and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and New Technologies, with the effective support of the Royal Air Forces, was undoubtedly a great success. This years AeroExpo was held in Morocco between the 27th and the 30th of January 2010 at the Marrakech Menara Airport.

AeroExpo Marrakech 2010 focused on creating opportunities for the attendees to interact and meet new buyers & partners. The show will attracted exhibitors, delegations from around the world, Ministries of defence, civil aviation delegations, advisors, industrialists, representatives of local, regional, national governments who found the AeroExpo at Marrakech an ideal opportunity to network and to establish potential trade and future partnerships.

The wide spectrum of business achieved during this first edition highlighted the significant growth of the Moroccan aeronautic industry in recent years and the choice of this country to host this event. The aeronautic industry in Morocco is a promising asset for the Moroccan economy. Its identification as such led to the creation of an industrial area “Nouasseur Aero pole” which currently lodges around 15 companies operating in different aeronautic activities. This Aero pole will have to gear down the outputs of this activity in terms of added value and generation of new jobs. the gaol is that by 2015, aeronautic industry in Morocco should create 17.000 employments and an additional sales turnover of about 800 million euros.

Having a high potential for the aeronautic industry and the adequate environment to host a larger number of aeronautics companies , Morocco represents an ideal market for the aviation industry, especially sub-contracting which has highly developed within the last few years.
 

Air show

The Moroccan air force is working on a renewal battle, most types present at the show, or have just received an upgrade. The purchased F-16s will not be a replacement  for the F-5E or Mirage F1 and be most likely stationed at Ben guérir Air Base just over Marrakesh.
Besides the purchase of the F-16 the Moroccan Air Force ordered; 24 T-6C The Royal Moroccan Air Force is the launch customer off  the new T-6C model ,a improved version of the T-6A Texan II. The T-6C features an integrated glass cockpit and hard point for external fuel tanks. Four C-27J are ordered from Alenia Aeronautica, this is the first C-27J order from a non-NATO country. Last year a request was made for three CH-47D and a Gulfstream G550. At the moment a upgrade program for the Mirage F1CH is started with the first two aircraft being upgraded by Sabca  at Gosselies Belgium. The Astrac upgrade will massively enhanced the capabilities of the Mirage F1CH. With the remainder of the upgrades preformed in Morocco it will create jobs and know-how.

The evenings where spent in the old city and the main square Djemaa el Fna. Through the many alleys with numerous shops where absolutely everything was sold, fresh orange juice to fresh whole rabbit. Arrived at the central square, are you amazed by what you see or rather what you do not see. It is a mass of people music making a jumble of food and drink stalls. So next to the AeroExpo Marrakesh has also a lot to offer to the regular tourist as a city with a great history and culture.