From August 27 to September 1, 2019, the XIV International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019, the largest exhibition of aviation equipment in Eastern Europe, was held at the Ramenskoe airfield near Moscow. It is an important industry event, the purpose of which is to demonstrate high technology and the openness of the Russian domestic market for joint projects with foreign partners.
Traditionally, the work of the salon is divided into two parts: business days and days of mass visits. A significant part of the exhibition’s business program consists of scientific conferences and symposiums, as well as the signing of contracts between aircraft manufacturers and customers. In the days of a mass visit, the air show hosted hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts. A variety of aviation equipment was presented to the attention of the guests at a static exhibition, but the main reason for such large influx of visitors was a spectacular air show.
The aerobatics teams of Russian Aerospace Forces “Russian Knights”, “Falcons of Russia” and “Swifts” demonstrated their skills. For the first time it was presented the program “Aerial combat with elements of super-maneuverability”, carried out by two Su-30SM of the Russian Navy. The aerobatic programs were performed by the aerobatic teams Rus, First Flight, Hummingbirds and guests from the Baltic – Baltic Bees Jet Team and ANBO. The aviation enthusiasts did not remain indifferent with flights of legends – the Il-2 attack aircraft and the MiG-15UTI fighter made demonstration programs.
The XIV International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019 was opened by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. He greeted the organizers, participants and guests of the salon, checked the expositions of leading companies, and watched the demonstration flights. As part of the event, Putin held talks with his Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
MAKS-2019 could not do without premieres. The most expected novelty of this air show was the newest medium-haul airliner MS-21-300 of Russian production. The aircraft made its first flight in 2017 and is currently undergoing a flight test program. The guests of the show were able to get acquainted with the aircraft at a static exposition and observe its spectacular flight during the demonstration program.
Another novelty was the fifth-generation fighter Su-57. The aircraft has been repeatedly shown to guests in flight since 2011, but the aircraft was presented for the first time at a static exhibition. Turkish President R. Erdogan showed considerable interest in the fighter.
Also, for the first time, within the framework of the MAKS, special expositions and sections on general aviation were organized where about 50 light and ultra-light aircraft were demonstrated, on unmanned aerial systems, with the participation of developers and manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles, operators of unmanned aerial systems.
Embraer introduced a new generation aieliner, the E195-E2 at static display. The airplane is Tech Lion livery, symbolizing the technological and innovativeness of the aircraft. This livery continues the earlier tradition of using themes of predatory animals such as a tiger, shark and eagle, reflecting the positioning of the new Embraer family of liners as “profit hunters.”
The third time participating in the air show is the long-range liner Airbus A350-900. In 2019, the exhibition guests were shown the elements of the Airbus Connected Experience solution – the so-called “smart cabin”.
At the MAKS-2019 static display 133 aircraft were presented. Taking into account the fact that part of the aircraft and helicopters was demonstrated both in the static and flight display, the total number of aircraft represented reached 202.
The total business potential of MAKS-2019 is estimated at 400 billion rubles, not counting the negotiations held through military-technical cooperation. The latter, according to the statements of the special exporter Rosoboronexport, amount to billions of dollars.
The XV International Aviation and Space Salon will be held in July 2021 in the city of Zhukovsky near Moscow.