This famous line from classic cinema is also part of the aeronautical imagination. And it's no coincidence: the Salon International de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace – Paris Le Bourget, known as the Paris Air Show, is the oldest, largest and one of the most influential aeronautical trade shows in the world.
In 1909, at the dawn of aviation, and just six years after Santos Dumont and the Wright brothers made their first flights, the first edition of this fair was held at the Grand Palais in the French capital (venue of the 1900 Universal Exhibition). It attracted an incredible number of more than 300 exhibitors and nearly 100,000 visitors. The success and impact of the event meant that it was repeated regularly from then on, interrupted only by the world wars.
It was in 1953 that the exhibition moved to Le Bourget airport and became a biennial event, alternating with the British Farnborough Airshow, until the present day.
The venue where this exhibition is held, Le Bourget Airport, is part of the history of France and of aeronautics in general. It operated for commercial flights between 1919 and 1980, since when it has been used for private flights, as well as being home to the Air and Space Museum and the venue for the Paris Air Show. This airport has been the scene of significant events in aviation history, such as the landing of Charles Lindbergh after his transatlantic flight in 1927. It has also been the scene of political events, such as the defection of the famous Soviet dancer Rudolf Nureyev in 1961.
Over time, the Paris Air Show grew both in participation and geopolitical relevance. During the Cold War, it became a technological showcase for manufacturers from both the Western bloc and the Warsaw Pact, giving rise to moments of tension and competitive displays.
One of the most memorable moments in the show's history was the presentation Concordethe Concorde, which made its stellar appearance at the 1969 edition, where it left the world amazed with its futuristic design and Mach 2 speed. The Concorde represented the pinnacle of aerospace engineering at the time.
Two years later, the Paris Air Show was the European stage for the debut of the Boeing 747the famous ‘Jumbo Jet’. Its ability to quickly and comfortably transport more than 400 passengers revolutionised commercial aviation and marked a paradigm shift in global connectivity.
In 2005, Airbus presented its response to Boeing's dominance: the A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft. Its appearance at the Paris Air Show was a technical and strategic achievement for the European aeronautical industry, definitively consolidating Airbus' position.
Today, the event attracts more than 2,400 exhibitors from 50 countries, exceeding 300,000 visitors, including more than 150,000 industry professionals. Over seven days — four dedicated to the industry and three open to the public — commercial aircraft, military aircraft, helicopters, UAS, aerospace technologies, flight simulators and every imaginable innovation in the field of aeronautics and space are on display.
The Paris Air Show is not just a trade fair for showcasing aircraft; it is also the place where million-dollar deals are struck for the aeronautical industry. At each edition, thousands of aircraft orders, strategic alliances, industrial collaborations and defence contracts are announced. For example, in 2019, contracts worth over £140 billion were signed.
It is also a showcase for start-ups and SMEs seeking visibility in a global environment. The Paris Air Lab programme promotes disruptive ideas in electric propulsion, biofuels, artificial intelligence applied to navigation, and urban air mobility.
In recent years, the Paris Air Show has placed an emphasis on sustainable aviation, with sections dedicated to the decarbonisation of air transport, one of the industry's most significant challenges. It also showcases the air mobility of the future, with eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles) that promise to change urban transport.
In short, over the years, the Paris Air Show has gone from being a national exhibition to becoming the largest aerospace showcase on the planet, bringing together technology, business and entertainment in one place. For more than a century, it has witnessed the great milestones of aviation, aerospace technology and astronautics, and has been the scene of discoveries, innovations and advances that have defined the course of air and space transport.
Business expectations for an aeronautical technology company at the Paris Air Show are traditionally very high, due to the profile of the event, its international reach and its direct focus on innovation, partnerships and business development.
AERTEC participated for the first time in 2015 and, since then, we have not missed a single edition. Our presence has focused on our capabilities for the aeronautical industry, highlighting our role as a strategic EMES3 supplier to Airbus in all its divisions: Commercial, Helicopters and Defence & Space, worldwide. At the 2025 edition, we attended with a more technological profile, showcasing our capabilities and solutions in aircraft systems and promoting a comprehensive approach to embedded systems that combines scalability, energy efficiency and sustainability.
The positive experience of previous editions reaffirms the importance and scope of the Paris Air Show for aerospace technology companies such as AERTEC, and for this reason we are confident in the results of this edition. We are living in a time of renewed interest in civil and military aviation, in an international context strained by international wars, the energy crisis and cybersecurity.
It is also a time of opportunity, thanks to the emergence of Artificial Intelligence applied to aviation, automation, the emerging market for autonomous unmanned aerial systems and the great challenge of decarbonisation.
We will be discussing all this and much more during the Paris Air Show, with you and with those who visit us at our stand. We are passionate about aeronautics and we like to share that enthusiasm, so we will also be sharing all the details of our presence at this year's show on social media, especially LinkedIn and Instagram.
Indeed, as the sector faces challenges of sustainability, safety and digital transformation, the Paris Air Show will continue to be the meeting place where the sky is not the limit, but the starting point.
