X

Catching the new and classic aircraft at the Paris Air Show

You can catch all kinds of aircraft at the world's biggest aviation party, from a vintage Concorde to a new regional jet from Mitsubishi.

Kent German
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
mitsubishi-mrj-paris-airshow-3
1 of 22 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The Paris Air Show wasn't just Boeing and Airbus, there were plenty of other aviation companies at Le Bourget Airport eager to show their aircraft. Military and commercial airplanes and helicopters were on display along with radical new aircraft designs and a few old favorites.

First up is the Mitsubishi Regional Jet or MRJ. An attempt by Japan to gain a foothold in the regional airliner industry, the MRJ made its first flight last November. 

mitsubishi-mrj-pas-1
2 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Mitsubishi's regional jet rivals are Bombardier (based in Canada) and Embraer (based in Brazil). The aircraft will come in two versions: The MRJ70 will seat between 69 to 80 passengers and the MRJ90 will fit 81 to 92 passengers.

mitsubishi-mrj-pas-2
3 of 22 Kent German/CNET

The MRJ was painted in the colors of Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways, which has ordered 15 aircraft.

mitsubishi-mrj-pas-3
4 of 22 Kent German/CNET

The MRJ has a sleek, pointed nose.

mitsubishi-mrj-paris-airshow
5 of 22 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Depending on the variant the MRJ is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW1215G or PW1217G engines. The typical cruising speed will be 447 knots -- that's 514 miles per hour or 828 km per hour.

mitsubishi-mrj-paris-airshow-2
6 of 22 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Deliveries to ANA are scheduled to start in 2020.  

interjet-sukhoi-pas
7 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Parked nearby was a Sukhoi Superjet 100 in the attractive livery of Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet. Made by a subsidiary of the Russia-based United Aircraft Corporation, the Superjet first flew in 2008 and entered service in 2011. Made mostly for short to medium-range routes, it seats between 87 and 108 passengers.

pas-1
8 of 22 Kent German/CNET

A look over Le Bourget shows the wide variety of aircraft on display.

cirrus-vision-jet-pas
9 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Stashed away in a corner was a Cirrus Vision Jet, a unique single-engine private jet.

eurofighter-typhoon-pas
10 of 22 Kent German/CNET

The Eurofighter Typhoon is made by a division of Airbus. It currently flies with the air forces of several countries, including Spain, Germany, Italy and the UK.

boeing-osprey-pas
11 of 22 Kent German/CNET

One of the more curious aircraft on display was the Bell Boeing V-22 Opsrey. The tilt-rotor aircraft can take off/land and fly both like a helicopter and an airplane.  

boeing-apache-pas
12 of 22 Kent German/CNET

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter. First introduced in 1986, it still flies with the US Air Force.

boeing-chinook
13 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Boeing's Chinook helicopter was right next door. The twin-rotor copter is mainly used for troop movements, supply, missions and disaster relief. A ramp in the back allows for the loading of heavy cargo. 

boeing-p-8-pas-2
14 of 22 Kent German/CNET

The P-8 Poseidon is a military variant of Boeing's commercial 737 airliner. The US Navy has flown it since 2013 for maritime patrol missions.

kawasaki-p-1-pas
15 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Kawasaki's P-1 flies similar missions, but for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

c130-hercules-pas
16 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Lockheed's well-known C-130 heavy military transport also made an appearance. 

lockheed-lm-100j-pas
17 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Lockheed's 100J is the civilian version of the C-130 Hercules. It also has a rear ramp for loading heavy equipment.

qatar-777-pas
18 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Qatar Airways flew in a Boeing 777 to show of its new Qsuite business class.

pas-rainbow-propeller.jpg
19 of 22 Kent German/CNET

I love this rainbow-painted propeller on this ATR 72 in the colors of new airline customer IndiGo. 

gulfstream-jets-pas
20 of 22 Kent German/CNET

A lineup of sleek Gulfstrem private jets tempted visitors with a few million bucks to spare.

concorde-paris-airshow-9
21 of 22 Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Also located at Le Bourget is the Musée de l'air et de l'espace or the Museum of Air and Space, which displays a wide variety of historic aircraft including two Concorde supersonic airliners. The Concorde on the left (registration F-WTSS) was the first Concorde built and the first one to fly on March 2, 1969. It remained a prototype and testing aircraft and never flew passengers. The Concorde on the right (registration F-BTSD) flew with Air France between 1978 and 2003.

747-pas-1
22 of 22 Kent German/CNET

Outside is a iconic (and dirty) Boeing 747-100, which flew with Air France between 1972 to 2003.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos