Official website of the President of Russia

News   /

Around 800 Russian and foreign firms that produce and develop aviation and space technology are present at MAKS-2007.

According to the exhibition's organising committee, the number of companies participating in the Aviation Salon has grown by 30 percent since 2005. 540 Russian and 247 foreign companies are participating in the exhibition. Along with this, 23 percent of Russian and 32 percent of foreign companies are exhibiting at MAKS for the first time.

After the MAKS-2007 opening ceremony, during which Vladimir Putin made a speech, the President watched test flights. President Putin then visited the Salon's exhibits, presented in booths and stands. Exhibits he visited included the children's art stand which presented model airplanes made by children. All participating children had won competitions and the right to present their work at MAKS-2007. A few of them told the President about their projects and one of the exhibition's young participants from Kazakhstan gave Vladimir Putin a model airplane she had made.

The head of state visited both the military and civil parts of the pavillion of the Russian Associated Aviation Construction Corporation. In particular, participants showed Vladimir Putin the simulator booths for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airplane. The President sat in the first pilot's seat and an instructor sat in the assistant pilot's seat. With his help the President ”lifted“ the plane into the air, made a turn, and then ”landed“. During this training session the instructor told the head of state about the airplane's basic features, management systems and piloting requirements. Vladimir Putin also visited the stand with a simulation of the passenger compartment of this plane.

Vladimir Putin visited the exhibition of the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation with the Almaz-Antei Concern stand and the pavillion of the Federal Space Agency which, among other things, presents the GLONASS system.

The President of Russia also visited stands set up by foreign aviation corporations and talked briefly with President of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) Tom Enders, Vice President of Finmeccanica Leonardo Pavoni, Vice President of CONTOP China Corporations Jin Juanlon, and Vice President of Boeing in Russia and the CIS Sergei Kravchenko. At the stand presented by the Antonov company Vladimir Putin met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovichwho introduced the company's top management to the Russian President.

Earlier on the President of Russia sent a greeting to the participants and guests of MAKS-2007 in which he noted that since its founding MAKS has rightfully earned the authority it now has among experts and has assumed its proper place among the world's leading aviation salons. From year to year the exhibition at Zhukovsky has demonstrated the most advanced achievements of Russian academics, designers and producers. Business ties are increasing and mutually advantageous contracts are being signed. Vladimir Putin expressed his conviction that MAKS-2007 will once again act as an opportunity to acquaint the representatives of the business community and numerous spectators with the best achievements of Russian scientific and technological prowess, and will make a meaningful contribution to the development of international cooperation.