The aviation world is buzzing as Paris prepares to host its most anticipated event, the International Paris Air Show, set to run from June 16 to 22,2025, known locally as “Salon International de l’Aeronautique et de l’Espace,” is gearing up for its 55th edition.
This periodic event is a week-long deep dive into the world of aviation, drawing in both top industry figures and passionate aviation fans. Spanning 70 hectares at Paris-Le Bourget Airport (LBG), the show anticipates welcoming over 300,000 visitors. Guests will have the opportunity to engage with 2500 exhibitors from 48 nations, showcasing the latest advancements in civil aviation, defense, and space technology. Companies are keen to reveal their cutting-edge innovations to a global audience.
This year’s event boasts several exciting features, including the Space Lab a dedicated hub for institutions, small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs), and startups to collaborate. The Air Lab Exhibition offers an immersive experience for all attendances, visitors are also encouraged to explore the nearby National air and Space Museum of France.
The significance of the Paris Air show, alongside its counterparts in Dubai and Farnborough, cannot be overstated. These event serves as crucial designs are first revealed to the public, and multi-billion-dollar deals are finalized. While specific major announcements for this year’s show remain under wraps, anticipation is building for what’s to come. As the upcoming show, its worth reflecting on some of the pivotal moments that have defined the Paris Air show since its origins in 1909.
1909: From Motor show segment to Aviation Pioneer
The Paris Air Show’s journey began humbly as a small aviation display at the Paris Motor Show in 1908. However, 1909 proved to be aviation’s moment. With Louis Blériot’s historic English Channel crossing fresh in memory, the first independent aviation exhibition was held at the Grand Palais in Paris from September 25 to October 17, 1909. This landmark event drew an estimated 100,000 visitor and featured pioneering aircraft such as the Blériot XI, Voisin Biplane, Antoinette IV, and the Wright Flyer. This successful showcase of early French aviation technology laid the groundwork for the show to become the world’s largest.
1949: Rebuilding and Redefining after conflict
The 1949 Paris Air Show marked a significant return after a pause since 1938 due to World War II. While the Grand Palais remained a primary venue, a crucial decision was made to introduce flight demonstrations at Paris-Le Bourget Airport, which would become the show’s exclusive home by 1953. This post-war event saw the participation of international aircraft manufacturers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Russia, symbolizing a global look towards the future. Cutting-edge jet fighters like the “de Havilland DH100 Vampire, Gloster Meteor, and Dassault Oregan” captivated audiences with their advanced capabilities. It was also in 1949 that the show adopted its now-familiar biennial schedule.
1969: Concorde and the Dawn of a New era
Perhaps one of the most celebrated moments in the show’s history occurred in June 1969 with the public debut of the ‘Concorde. A massive crowd of 250,000’ witnessed the French prototype Concorde 001, later joined by the British prototype Concorde 002, perform dazzling aerial displays. Though public excitement was immense, the supersonic airliner would not enter service for another seven years, in 1976. The iconic Boeing 747-100, known as the “City of Everett,” also made its first appearance, flying in from Seattle and arguably generating even more excitement than the Concordes. Adding to the star-studded event, NASA showcased the Apollo 8 module, just a month before Apollo 11’s historic moon landing. Apollo 8 had made history as the first crewed spacecraft to orbit the moon and return to Earth.
