When the biennial Dubai Airshow opens Nov. 13-17 at the United Arab Emirates city’s Airport Expo, it will be the biggest show yet, with more than 1,000 exhibitors and nearly 55,000 trade visitors, a 4-percent increase, compared with the 52,978 attendees and 890 exhibitors at the 2009 event.

In addition, 100-plus aircraft will be appearing at the show for the first time in the Middle East.

Making its Middle East debut is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner , and it will be joined on the static display park, among others, by the Pakistan Air Force’s JF17 Thunder fighter, the Bell/Boeing V-22 Tilt Rotor, a unique aircraft that can perform both vertical take-off and landing and short take-off and landing, the AAI’s Shadow 200 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the Apache MH-60 helicopter and an array of business jets from companies, such as Gulfstream, Bombardier and Cessna.

The Dubai Airshow is owned by U.K.-based Tarsus Group’s F&E Aerospace division under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai, and in cooperation with Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports and the U.A.E. Armed Forces.

 “The Dubai Airshow is bigger than ever this year, and this is reflected in the variety of aircraft, both civil and military on display and in the flying display, making it a show not to be missed!,” said Alison Weller, managing director of F&E Aerospace.

The first annual Gulf Aviation Training Event (GATE 2011)has signed up aircraft manufacturer Airbus Industrie of France and the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., and will emphasize the conference’s role in seeking solutions to the region’s demand for flight crew to meet the requirements of Middle East airlines.

"Considering the challenges facing the airline industry in the areas of flight crew hiring and training, having Airbus as a sponsor underscores how aircraft manufacturers view solving these challenges as critical to their ability to meet market demand for aircraft and crew," said GATE 2011 Conference Director Captain Ed Davidson, a vice president at U.S.-based Aerospace Consultancy, Tetra Tech AMT.

Two keynotes also have lined up for the inaugural GATE conference, scheduled Nov. 14-15, Captain Randolph Babbitt, administrator of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and William Voss, CEO of U.S.-based Flight Safety Foundation.

According to Davidson, Babbitt will speak on concerns surrounding airline pilot and technician recruitment and training in the rapidly expanding Middle Eastern air transport market, and Voss will speak on give his organization’s views on the current state of air transport safety

Also a first at the show, and reflecting the 40th anniversary of the U.A.E, the flying display will open with the country’s own aerobatic team – Al Fursan – which will fly Alenia Aermacchi aircraft.

The display also will feature the Patrouille de France aerobatic team flying the Alpha jets.