August 16, 2022
By Megan Anderson, Director of Global Business Development

After a two-year hiatus, one of the largest international air shows took place in July just outside of London. The show, which alternates annually between Le Bourget in France and Farnborough, attracts the world’s premier aerospace, defense and related companies, and allows them the opportunity to exhibit and display their latest products and technologies. I was fortunate to represent the Charleston region as part of South Carolina’s delegation. To say we were excited to be back is an understatement!

Key insights:

• While not back to pre-pandemic demand, there was a noted uptick in activity around commercial air travel. Boeing had a particularly good show, announcing 237 new orders, including five 787s.
• Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) created the most buzz. These aircraft require no runway space to take off, like a helicopter, and could provide air taxi services for short distances.
• The airline industry has committed to hitting “net-zero” carbon neutrality by 2050. There is a heavy emphasis on the development of sustainable fuel sources for the aerospace industry. There is no clear-cut answer on the makeup of the sustainable fuel, with possibilities ranging from electric, hydrogen, synthetic or hybrid models.

We had a very successful show, and I left feeling energized and optimistic for our region’s continued growth and success in the aerospace industry. Opportunities are abundant, especially as the landscape around air travel and aerospace continues to evolve. Flying cars may be a thing of the not-so-distant future, after all!

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