In the range of civil aviation naturally the aircraft of the airbus consortium dominated. Nearly all current models including the powerful A300-600ST Beluga were present. In the area of the business and passenger aircraft many planes were issued, but except for a few expectations (Extra 500, TBF-700 as well as Diamond Twin Star) only few were displayed in the flight . Good sales and the fulfilment of the objectives of most exhibitors made the ILA 2004 from the view of the majority of the participants a quite positive event. High specialized visitor quality as well as the appearance of many high-ranking delegations among others also the German Federal Chancellor were very positively evaluated by the 987 exhibitors from nevertheless 43 countries. Thus the ILA manifested itself more and more to a lynchpin of air and space industry within Europe.Particularly quietly, but not less beautiful presentation was offered by the Microlight Aero Team from the Netherlands. With their Solarwings Pegasus Quasar Ultralights they exercise flight and this since already 1990. Since an Ultralight, as the name already says, is extremely light and doesn`t reach high speeds, makes formation flighing very difficult even for experienced pilots. The Pagasus Quasar UL`s has no elevators, and can be steered therefore like a stunt kite only by misalignment of the pilots weight. The pleasant dutchmen have their homeland airport in Budel. With the MAT - so the common abbreviation, it concerns the world-wide only UL demo team.

As already mentions above, the company Airbus Industries had the largest contingent of commercial aircraft at the ILA 2004. Shown in the flyiong display was beside the enormous A340-642 also the smallest model of the Airbus family, the A318-112. This European consortium, which belongs to 80% French-German EADS company and to 20% the British BA, registers further increases in sales despite the relatively difficult situation concerning in the civil aviation. A market segment which was controlled to date almost exclusively by the large competitor Boeing, that of the Low cost-carriers, is rolled up straight by Airbus proper from the rear. After the decision of the British company EasyJet in October 2002 to transfer nearly completely from Boeing to the ones made by Airbus, this trend continued to develop. On the ILA a contract was signed over the supply of 11 A319 as well as 4 A321 for the Florida based Spirit Airlines. With an option on further 50 planes this carrier would like to to have changed and/or extend their complete fleet to Airbus products at least till 2008. The shown A318 aims also among other things at the market segment of the Low cost carriers and is to be offered as alternative for the fast aging fleet of the Boeing 737 as well as McDonnell Douglas DC-9/MD-80. Officially the first A318 was certified on 23 May 2003 and is thus the youngest member in the A320 family.

The Airbus A340-642 is about the longest and also largest model within the whiole Airbus fleet. With a range of scarcely 14.000km and a passenger capacity of up to 475 persons the A340 thereby enters into the unchallenged stomping ground of the Boeing 747-400 class. With altogether to dato 13 sold machines as well as 31 orders the A340-600 class fills the gap until the appearance of the larger A380, which already is in a very much progressed manufacturing stage. This machine will set surely more than only one indication. Related to the constantly rising demand for passenger transportation capacity with high range and high economic use the A380 surely stays abreast of changes. The maiden flight of this plane is planned for 2005, the first aircraft will begin their regular transport service in 2006. For sure the A380 will make the world a little bit smaller. On the ILA 2006 it will be present – let us look forward to that event! Surely also a reason that the European consortium Airbus slowly gts ahead off its large North American competitor is the fact, that nearly the complete fleet of aircraft was developed in the last 10 - 15 year. With exception of the 777 model one cannot maintain the same from Boeing. Of course there was also a further development and modernization, but in principle the models 737 and 747 are based on a design from the sixties the 757 and 767 from the eighties. Also the Boeing 717 is not a fundamentally new airplane, but has its roots in the DC-9 von McDonnell Douglas and was provided as advancement with the designation MD-95, when MDD von Boeing has merged in the year 1997. After the fiasko with the Boing Supercruiser the Boeing 7E7 is at present the only seizable project. Compared with Airbus Boeing focuses on a Super Efficiency Airplane, so the official work designation. The 7E7 is to be developed as replacement for the 767 offering good economy and a seat capacity of 200 to 250 passengers. Which of the two concepts (higher transportation capacity or higher transportation frequency) will finally become generally accepted, remains being waiting. At the time however the European solution seems to win by a narrow margin. Probably however is able to see toward the end of this decade, whose switches was set right, also - not to exclude as well, whether both get right with their concept.

An extremely graceful designed, in addition, very interesting airplane is the Silence Twister. It is about a single-seat sport airplane in Monocoque construction with UL license. Although this plane is equipped only with a Jabiru 2200 four-cylinder-Boxer engine with 80 HP, it has, thanks to its modern construction an impressing performance. The construction of the Twister is based on the design of the Spitfire, which one also clearly can see by its eliptical wing. Its type certification received the DA42 Twin Star made by the Austrian company Diamond Aircraft Industries on the 13th May on the ILA. It is thereby that world-wide first twin-engine passenger aircraft with diesel engines of its class. This company became popular world-wide with its power glider and trainer aircraft using most modern composite materials. The HK36 Super Dimona as well as the DA20 Katana is world-wide sold like hot cakes.

With the DA42 this company which is located in Wiener Neustadt/Austria London Ontario/Kanada will surely continue its track record. With the helicopters especially the demonstration of the Eurocopter EC145 was outstanding. This modern general-purpose medium –size helicopter is an advancement of the successful BK-117 series, which rose from a joint -venture of the companies MBB as well as Kawasaki. This is the reason, why the designation of the japanese manufactured helicoters by Kawasaki is BK-117-C2!
Conclusion: As already several times mentioned, the majority of the exhibitors was very content over the total result of the ILA of this year in Berlin-Schoenefeld. One must consider that not only the sales or the conclusion of contracts does represent the indicator for a successful fair, but also socializing, renewing and strengthening of existing business relations and sometimes also simply only the appearance amongst others . Also one may not forget after-sales bussiness, i.e these bussiness transactions, which happen after a fair however due to the preliminary work on this. Alltogether the ILA 2004 was a large success, at least if one may believe the summary of the organizer, as well as the innumerable press comments, thus actually proceeded the starting signal for the aerospace industry this time is coming from Berlin.
We can only accompany and hope, that the upward trend continues. Now we really look forward to an even more ILA 2006 – on the 15th. – 21st May 2006!

Robert Kysela / managing editor