ZHUKOVSKY, Moscow region, August 21 (Itar-Tass) — Sunday is the last day on the program of the MAKS’2011 aerospace show in the town of Zhukovsky, southeast off Moscow.
Although its officials results are to be summed up somewhat later, it is clear already now that the show has fully matched the expectations of its organizers, especially in terms of business contracts.
Early estimates suggest that the total value of commercial agreements signed here this year exceeds $ 10 billion, which is much more than at the previous show two years ago.
The record of the past years has also been broken in what concerns representation at the show, as some 842 companies from 40 countries took part in the program.
The exhibitors presented to the public 241 aircraft, of which 91 took part in the program of demonstration flights. The weather in the area of the airdrome belonging to the Mikhail Gromov Flight Research Institute, which traditional hosts the MAKS shows, was perfect for the flights during the first four days of the show.
It was only Saturday morning that a heavy rain poured in the area but it did not affect the flight schedules for the Russian and foreign exhibitors.
Public presentation of a new-generation fighter jet N-50 /PAK FA/ became the highlight of the show. The specialists and ordinary visitors who came here met the takeoffs and maneuvering of each fighter jet with applause.
The spectators were particularly delighted to see the maneuvering of the Russian aerobatic groups Russkiye Vityazi /Russian Knights/, Strizhi /Swifts/ and Sokoly Rossii /Russia’s Falcons/, and the true romantics from the aerobatic group Rus managed to confess their love to all the young girls present at show by making up in the skies the image of a heart pierced with Cupid’s arrow.
The main invitees of the show — the French airbus A380, which is the world’s biggest passenger jet ever built, and Boeing’s B 787 Dreamliner – were specially flown to Zhukovsky to take part in MAKS’2011.
The guests also enjoyed an opportunity to take a look at the aircraft of the past, including the World War II workhorses of the Soviet Air Force – I-16, MIG-3 and Po-2.
The program of demonstration flight will be as dense on the last day of the aerospace show as it was in the first five days.