The sky’s the limit

• Last Updated: November 15. 2009 8:11PM UAE / November 15. 2009 4:11PM GMT

It’s not often that falcons and hawks rub noses, but they’ll be getting close this week. The Dubai Air Show and International Aerospace Exhibition is bringing the aviation industry’s top birds to market, with fighter jets preening side by side with commercial aircraft and propeller planes in a bid to make aviation one of Dubai’s top economic draws.

This year it may not be about the big deals, but there’s still enough firepower on the ground at the Airport Expo Centre to create a buzz. For one, the Airbus 380, a leviathan of an airliner that’s two decks high and can hold up to 800 people, will be on display in a bid to heighten anticipation of the company’s $31 billion contract with Emirates Airlines. For the security and military crowd, the US Department of Defence’s F-22 Raptor, a cool $142 million, will show with Dassault’s Rafale and Eurofighter’s Typhoon – perhaps the only time “typhoon” next to the word “aeroplane” can be a good thing. These are all smaller jets: so even if aviation isn’t your cup of tea, the exhibition is worth a visit just to see the Americans, the French and the British compete to be the biggest small show in town.