European Rotors 2023 has closed the doors on a successful event, spurred by industry growth and an exciting new host city. Held in Madrid in Spain, the show featured educational opportunities, career development, safety demonstrations and presentations and displays on exciting new technologies within the vertical flight industry.
The four day show, organised by the European Helicopter Association and EASA and produced by HAI, saw growth over last year's show in the number of attendees and exhibitors; more than 5,400 people attended from over 80 countries, there were 231 exhibitors 23 aircraft displayed on the show floor.
Eduardo Consejo, president, Asociación de Trabajos Aéreos y de Emergencias (ATAIRE), the Spanish helicopter association hosting the event, says: "We understand the exhibitors were extremely pleased with the quality of visitors coming to see them, including those qualified to sign agreements on the spot. One of the goals of the show is to facilitate business between companies and buyers, and the data shows that the Madrid show met that challenge."
During the opening ceremony, outgoing EHA chair Christian Müller revealed that next year's show would be held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from 4-7 November.
"One of our roles at EHA is to promote our vibrant industry throughout all European regions and countries," says Isabella Abbate, executive director of EHA. "Holding the shows in different locations occasionally allows us to support and highlight the dynamic ways our industry serves the people of Europe."
Interest in the 2024 location proved high, with early, on-site booth reservations exceeding the number of commitments for booths at last year's show. "Amsterdam has everyone excited about the possibilities of a new venue, just as happened when we announced Madrid's location last year," adds Abbate. "In the future, we will continue to hold shows in Cologne, home of EASA, but using other venues allows us to bring business engagement to new levels.
"Our friends at ATAIRE were instrumental in the success of this year's show. They were truly excited to introduce their country and industry to the rest of the helicopter industry, and we are sincerely grateful for their work to make this show so successful. One of the reasons we chose to bring the show to Spain is because of the strength of the rotorcraft industry here. Our assessment proved to be correct, as their contributions included a significant presence on the show floor, during Spanish Day, and throughout the show as a whole. We also salute ATAIRE for showcasing the Spanish helicopter industry so admirably."