©Christophe Kermarrec

Helitech 2010, despite the mobilization of its organizers, was not marked by great excitement. Far from having fulfilled its mission of mobilization, the event in Cascais, Portugal experienced a 10% drop in attendance with 1350 visitors. In the stands, 134 companies (compared to 200 at Duxford in 2009) made the trip, with 21 newcomers (the same amount as at Duxford). While operators, MROs and suppliers have insisted that they have taken advantage of this event by making contacts and pursuing their activities, beyond these claims, the results of these exchanges are not very discernible. Only a dozen helicopters were on static display on the tarmac. Five of the aircraft belonged to HeliPortugal, the operator who made the principal announcement during the show. Among the notable absentees from the event, Turbomeca, the world’s leading helicopter turbine manufacturer, Sikorsky, Bell and Rolls-Royce, present at Duxford last year, did not find it necessary to make the trip to Portugal. Always focused on the theme of fighting forest fires, the air show was very similar to that carried out two years ago. Before Helitech’s next gathering in Duxford, from September 27 to 29, 2011, the HAI will probably address some questions about the economic health of the helicopter sector. Until then, it remains to be known what has happened behind the scenes at Cascais. By Alexandra Picard