AIRWAYS INDUSTRY
THE 2023 PARIS AIR SHOW
Story ROBERTO LEIRO Photos AS NOTED
IT HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS since the last iteration of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget — the longest hiatus since one of the largest aerospace events in the world began its biennial cycle in the aftermath of the Second World War .
Much has happened in those four years . Just a few weeks before the 2019 show , the grounding of the 737 MAX sent Boeing into a crisis mode that would go from bad to worse . The company ’ s 787 program was paused between May 2021 and July 2022 as the
US Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) looked into quality control and technical faults . The 777X , initially intended for entry into service in 2020 , has been repeatedly delayed due to causes attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic .
That series of mishaps not only affected Boeing ’ s commercial aircraft programs , but also led the plane-maker to terminate its planned joint venture with Embraer . The effects of this decision are yet to be seen as both parties continue in arbitration .
30 AIRWAYS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2023 www . airwaysmag . com