Helitech World Expo - 2021
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Escrick York england
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I miss those days - prob the best helicopter industry event we ever had when it was run under the Spearhead banner. I still remember the last one we went to there as we sponsored the OFMC company Spitfire to do a flying display during the lunch break.
Loved all the helos that used to fly in and park across the other side of the runway, even had the odd Apache that came and parked for a visit.
Maybe someone could make it happen again because the Reed event is total crap - in my opinion. Went to the first one in the city and never went back.
Loved all the helos that used to fly in and park across the other side of the runway, even had the odd Apache that came and parked for a visit.
Maybe someone could make it happen again because the Reed event is total crap - in my opinion. Went to the first one in the city and never went back.
So true Ned.....I went to the first ones at the Excel Centre only because our company had a booth there,but declining footfall and the travel problems soon put an end to it. What's the point of a helicopter show if you can't show them off. Haven't been at all since the new crowd started "a big sell" to get people to attend .
I've attended a large number of these shows, and to be quite honest, they have lost the intent and value to the participants. Helitech was always well attended, relatively easy to access and good local accommodations that resulted in many people staying in the general area which meant you could meet and entertain the people you were there to see. It also attracted a huge number of everyday people from within the helicopter industry, which is where much of the true value came from. Excel or RAI was not a good location as it's in the middle of nowhere in a big city, which meant everyone dispersed at the end of the day and you couldn't find anyone, as they might be staying anywhere. Farnborough had a similar issue, although the venue was reasonable, the attendance was vague, and many exhibitors were thoroughly disappointed.
Personally, I find all these shows of good value as I get to engage with a lot of different people from around the World, and happen to know a large number of the attendees. Holding these shows in venues away from centres of helicopter operations has however caused a significant decline in access to the operators and individuals that are the principal reason for attending. By the same token, the helicopter industry is becoming dominated by people with not the slightest interest in helicopters, simply in the business of making money from them, and that is what the organizers seem to be targeting. Excel, Cologne or RAI is of very little value to me from a business perspective as it won't attract the customers and individuals I need to see. Our budgets are tight, many organizations still have significantly restricted travel and the continued unknown of Covid driven travel restrictions and changes, makes many hesitant to invest in this. Why bother going, if no one else is going to be there because of the location, Covid or simply because they are unsure of the value of the investment.
Eventually, someone will determine these shows are not financially viable, and there is a good chance there will be no helicopter shows in Europe once again. Perhaps then some bright spark will get down to basics and actually put on a helicopter show in a good location that includes helicopters and the people that make the business function. I am currently not planning on attending.
Personally, I find all these shows of good value as I get to engage with a lot of different people from around the World, and happen to know a large number of the attendees. Holding these shows in venues away from centres of helicopter operations has however caused a significant decline in access to the operators and individuals that are the principal reason for attending. By the same token, the helicopter industry is becoming dominated by people with not the slightest interest in helicopters, simply in the business of making money from them, and that is what the organizers seem to be targeting. Excel, Cologne or RAI is of very little value to me from a business perspective as it won't attract the customers and individuals I need to see. Our budgets are tight, many organizations still have significantly restricted travel and the continued unknown of Covid driven travel restrictions and changes, makes many hesitant to invest in this. Why bother going, if no one else is going to be there because of the location, Covid or simply because they are unsure of the value of the investment.
Eventually, someone will determine these shows are not financially viable, and there is a good chance there will be no helicopter shows in Europe once again. Perhaps then some bright spark will get down to basics and actually put on a helicopter show in a good location that includes helicopters and the people that make the business function. I am currently not planning on attending.
Thread Starter
I know this was briefly discussed on a thread ages ago - but would Duxford even entertain the idea of another heli being held there. Just wondering if its worth the industry itself seeing if they could make a show happen back at Duxford rather than waiting for a faceless global entity like Reed Elseveer who dont really give a toss about the industry to grasp the idea that shows at places like Excel will never work. Thoughts ??
Whilst I totally agree that for Helitech type events Duxford worked its magic and ExCel struggled the unanswered question is 'why?'
In two weeks time there will be a really successful show on at ExCel that includes a few military helicopters and perhaps a jet fighter and a few drones. It is called DSEi and, although it is clearly not a Helitech, there are synergies and no one ever complains about where it is! In fact the number of complaints about RAI was low...... Perhaps it is a typically British thing or even a specific Duxford thing. I cannot say that returning Helitech to Redhill would have much of an attraction for me, but others may feel different. In the same vein no-one has proposed the alternative venue as Biggin Hill, Wycombe or North Weald so it is not necessarily just an outside venue easy to reach [which each of those and more are]. Two of those have Spitfires so it is not that either.
It must be a unique Duxford thing.
I have just had the line up of the speaker programme pointed out to me. So far there seem to be a couple of dozen speakers. Oddly though according to the list, so far there are around a dozen "Keynote Speakers" .... forgive me I thought Keynotes were special people and you only one or two per conference in that they set out the theme for the rest of the speakers. Over egging and devaluing the whole idea of a Keynote. Then there is the line up of speakers...
In two weeks time there will be a really successful show on at ExCel that includes a few military helicopters and perhaps a jet fighter and a few drones. It is called DSEi and, although it is clearly not a Helitech, there are synergies and no one ever complains about where it is! In fact the number of complaints about RAI was low...... Perhaps it is a typically British thing or even a specific Duxford thing. I cannot say that returning Helitech to Redhill would have much of an attraction for me, but others may feel different. In the same vein no-one has proposed the alternative venue as Biggin Hill, Wycombe or North Weald so it is not necessarily just an outside venue easy to reach [which each of those and more are]. Two of those have Spitfires so it is not that either.
It must be a unique Duxford thing.
I have just had the line up of the speaker programme pointed out to me. So far there seem to be a couple of dozen speakers. Oddly though according to the list, so far there are around a dozen "Keynote Speakers" .... forgive me I thought Keynotes were special people and you only one or two per conference in that they set out the theme for the rest of the speakers. Over egging and devaluing the whole idea of a Keynote. Then there is the line up of speakers...
Last edited by PANews; 2nd Sep 2021 at 15:41. Reason: Additional information
This looks an underwhelming event!
`Over 300 Exhibitors' they proclaim on the cover of their brochure, which includes an exhibitor list of just 109 enterprises (and even some of those are in the co-located 'Drone-X' gig). Not an auspicious prelude
`Over 300 Exhibitors' they proclaim on the cover of their brochure, which includes an exhibitor list of just 109 enterprises (and even some of those are in the co-located 'Drone-X' gig). Not an auspicious prelude
perhaps the 300 exhibitors are the people booked in to look after the stands!
As per my last post on DSEi the event was a little quieter, no doubt the covid factor, but no one was noticeably complaining about the location or the level of business in depressed times. The aircraft content was low and mainly provided by the USA military. Quite a few ships though. In contrast the co-located security event was deadly quiet on both days.
It will be interesting to see if Helitech World pulls its so far bad reviews back by content and audience. The event does not necessarily need to have the manufacturers except for the tyre kickers but it is clearly an uphill task the organisers face without them
As per my last post on DSEi the event was a little quieter, no doubt the covid factor, but no one was noticeably complaining about the location or the level of business in depressed times. The aircraft content was low and mainly provided by the USA military. Quite a few ships though. In contrast the co-located security event was deadly quiet on both days.
It will be interesting to see if Helitech World pulls its so far bad reviews back by content and audience. The event does not necessarily need to have the manufacturers except for the tyre kickers but it is clearly an uphill task the organisers face without them
Well it is done, over.
It is so easy to criticise the whole thing.
A couple of halls in ExCel, in truth two thirds of the floor space was drones not Helitech.
The 300 exhibitors, 100 speakers a misrepresentation, there is an alternative word, the 45 or so actual attending exhibitors mainly unhappy with the footfall and just two helicopters and an autogyro to kick the tyres/skids of.
It was not the Duxford Helitech we say we recall, no Redhill wellies required, indeed Vertical Flight at Farnborough was bigger.
But it worked on many levels.
In that hall were the industry. Emergency Services, CAA, the MROs. Yes they were not exhibiting which must have been painful for the organisers but (if you are any good at people spotting) they were there and dozens of conversations and meeting were taking place with the exhibitors who were equally aware of the identities of their anonymous visitors. The biggest pain may have been felt by the exhibitors who did not know who they were in the presence of.
At the end of day one a straw poll showed grounds for a disaster that many had predicted. At the end of day two by which time many of those important people had returned because they had not finished their intended business there was a wholly different attitude. I am aware that several exhibitors signed up for next year.
There are caveats, but Helitech was not a business disaster.
It is so easy to criticise the whole thing.
A couple of halls in ExCel, in truth two thirds of the floor space was drones not Helitech.
The 300 exhibitors, 100 speakers a misrepresentation, there is an alternative word, the 45 or so actual attending exhibitors mainly unhappy with the footfall and just two helicopters and an autogyro to kick the tyres/skids of.
It was not the Duxford Helitech we say we recall, no Redhill wellies required, indeed Vertical Flight at Farnborough was bigger.
But it worked on many levels.
In that hall were the industry. Emergency Services, CAA, the MROs. Yes they were not exhibiting which must have been painful for the organisers but (if you are any good at people spotting) they were there and dozens of conversations and meeting were taking place with the exhibitors who were equally aware of the identities of their anonymous visitors. The biggest pain may have been felt by the exhibitors who did not know who they were in the presence of.
At the end of day one a straw poll showed grounds for a disaster that many had predicted. At the end of day two by which time many of those important people had returned because they had not finished their intended business there was a wholly different attitude. I am aware that several exhibitors signed up for next year.
There are caveats, but Helitech was not a business disaster.
I do not seem to recall any thread being started on Helitech 2022.... so I will 'follow myself' in reporting on the first day of the 2022 event. Normally there are people making plans to meet there, complaining that they could not land their personal helicopter on the external car park and that the number of hardware exhibits was expected to be down on last year. None of that.
Last year there appeared to be a small chance that the organisers could get their act together and bring something of a turnaround in the fortunes of Helitech Expo.
The marketing misrepresentations of last year continued and until a few weeks ago they were still promising 300 exhibitors and speakers that really were unaware that they had a speaking slot lined up. Those details got up some noses big time.
This year the 50/50 split between 'helicopters' and drones of the Drone X show degraded to around 80/20 in favour of unmanned.
A sorry tale.
Last year there appeared to be a small chance that the organisers could get their act together and bring something of a turnaround in the fortunes of Helitech Expo.
The marketing misrepresentations of last year continued and until a few weeks ago they were still promising 300 exhibitors and speakers that really were unaware that they had a speaking slot lined up. Those details got up some noses big time.
This year the 50/50 split between 'helicopters' and drones of the Drone X show degraded to around 80/20 in favour of unmanned.
A sorry tale.
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I think The reason that on one has commented is because there is no one going so no one will be upset or bothered you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink
Industry was there, but few on the booths, they were walking the floor and networking with those they recognised. In addition, the audiences for the presentations were pretty good as were some of the speakers who were supposed to be there. It was not a dead loss professionally but on balance those I spoke to considered that in view of the 80-20 split the event had now crossed over the line of aviation representation [versus drone] and was truly a dead loss. The high end exhibitors had already decided that they were not looking to return next year by 1pm on day 1. Some simply failed to turn up in the first place.
Bringing a Westland Lynx 3 as a centre piece was a mind boggling misunderstanding of what the event was about. The coffee was good though.
So it was not a case of no-one went, it was a fast waning business event that was not attractive to the 'ordinary' buyer that just wrecked all the little good will that remained yesterday morning.
Bringing a Westland Lynx 3 as a centre piece was a mind boggling misunderstanding of what the event was about. The coffee was good though.
So it was not a case of no-one went, it was a fast waning business event that was not attractive to the 'ordinary' buyer that just wrecked all the little good will that remained yesterday morning.
Having looked through the catalogue sent to me and listening to the organisers hype ,I decided the idea of travelling to and through London by car/ train/tube was simply not a productive way of spending a day there.Looks like I was right!
Majority of the stands were for drones / associated tech. Ex-Sikorsky guy I spoke to (we had time for a nice long chat, thoroughly enjoyed it) gave me to understand that they wouldn’t be back. No OEMs, they’ll be at Cologne. Think I will too. [In a green side note, I emerged from the hall after three hours with lots of brochures, but not one plastic bag!]
anyone heading down end of this month?
I have been informed there will be nil a/c on display due to the Excel's owners being blamed by the organisers. The issue is there are several other exhibitions happening so no a/c possible to be flown in and dragged in. Strange considering when DSEI is on, there thankfuuly are a/c on display either outside or inside (ok I know its mainly US Army).
I think everyones view its more DrineX than anything else.
cheers
I have been informed there will be nil a/c on display due to the Excel's owners being blamed by the organisers. The issue is there are several other exhibitions happening so no a/c possible to be flown in and dragged in. Strange considering when DSEI is on, there thankfuuly are a/c on display either outside or inside (ok I know its mainly US Army).
I think everyones view its more DrineX than anything else.
cheers
I’ve been getting emails for weeks, then they phoned me up and I ‘explained’.
