ISTANBUL
A prototype of a 1930's airplane, made and flown by celebrated Turkish aviator Vecihi Hurkus is one of the main attractions of the tenth Istanbul airshow which runs for four days starting Thursday.
Turkish Transport Minister Lutfi Elvan speaking at the opening ceremony said that the airshow would help to make Istanbul an international center of aviation.
Elvan said that in 2006 Turkish domestic airlines were flying from two destinations to twenty six but that has now been increased to seven companies flying to fifty three destinations today.
There has been a consequent fivefold increase in the numbers of passenges over the last decade.
"Aviation sector has reached a turnover of 24 billion dollars and offers job opprtunities to 180 thousand people," Elvan said. "The number of airplanes of the companies has increased 160 percent, the capacity of seats 172 percent and the cargo capacity 373 percent."
More than forty international airplanes from all over the world are on view at the airshow.
Two of the most popular modern airplanes at the exhibition are Turkish Airlines Airbus-330 and Lufthansa's Boeing 747-8.
Passenger airplanes, business jets, helicopters, air ambulance vehicles, sport airplanes are some of the other kinds of airplanes on show.
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