Day 2. Monday 15 June 2009

Paris Air Show Day 2

Day two of the Paris Air Show started off with a rush! Because Paris traffic is the worst, the ITT MARCOM media team left for the show at 6:30 AM, thanks to our driver Jean Baptiste (who we’ve nicknamed Mario Andretti) for getting us there on time and in one piece. By 9:30 AM the ITT Team was ready to go and attendees filled the chalets and pavilions. The opening ceremony for the US Pavilion was held in front of the ITT booth, thus giving ITT great visibility. After the opening ceremony, ITT held a round-table discussion on Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast-System, or ADS-B. ADS-B is designed from the ground up to improve the safety and efficiency of U.S. air travel (for more information on ADS-B, check out http://www.itt.com/adsb/), and ITT was chosen by the Federal Aviation Administration to build the Next Gen ADS-B surveillance system.

The Airbus 380

The first day of the show was wet and dreary, not ideal for an air show, but Mother Nature stalled for a while in the afternoon to let a few aircrafts take flight. One of the highlights of the show was watching the Airbus 380 perform. The Airbus 380 is the largest commercial airliner that seats 600 passengers. From the ITT chalet, we have great view of the runway, and we were able to watch the 380 takeoff and maneuver throughout the sky. When it landed, it flew directly above us. It was so close that it literally shook the walls of the chalet! When the flight demonstrations are going on, it is difficult to hold meetings because the jets fly so close to the show site that the noise from the jet engines is ear drum blasting, but it does make you grin!

Day one of the Paris Air Show was a success for ITT. Aviation Week show news daily highlighted the round table discussion on ADS-B, and Night Vision attendees Mike Alvis and Mike LoDebole had a full day of customer meetings and media interviews with Adam Baddeley, a freelance writer for Jane’s International Defence, and Kris Osbourne from Defense News.

Mike Alvis and Bruce Scott on the show floor.

After the show ended, Mike Alvis, Mary Clemons Dudley and myself attended the Defense New reception at the Hotel Prince de Galle, where we were personal guests of the editor, Vago Muridani. While we were mingling with other MARCOM representatives, Mike LoDebole represented ITT Night Vision at the U.S. Ambassador’s reception that was held at the ambassador’s home in Paris. Overall, the day one was a success for ITT. ITT’s presence at the Paris Air Show was noticed by many of our competitors, customers and the media. We are well on our way to accomplishing our initiative of “One Company, One Mission.”

Until tomorrow,

Steve Brecken

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