2007年VOA标准英语-Paris Air Show Is Big Business

By Brian Padden
Paris
20 June 2007
 

The 47th International Paris Air Show is running this week.  It is a showcase of aviation and aerospace¹ technology.  And as VOA's Brian Padden reports, this is big, big business with more than 2,000 exhibitors from 42 countries. 

At this year's Paris Air Show there are more than 140 different types of aircraft on display -- everything from jets to helicopters, to even the latest in stealth technology.  It is like an amusement park for people fascinated with flying.  But for the 2,000 exhibitors from 42 countries here, this is serious business. Just about everyone in the aviation and aerospace world comes here to buy. 

Jean Pierre Cojan

And Jean Pierre Cojan, with SNFCMA, the world's fourth-largest aircraft engine manufacturer, is ready to sell. "We have 16,000 engines in service and somewhere in the world an aircraft takes off every three seconds with one of those engines."

Just one client here can change the fortune of a small company, such as Acaleph from Holland.  It sells mobile flight safety training programs. And as the company's Wil Nijsten says, Acaleph found that one client at the last Paris air show. "We provide now three different types of training.  It's a big client.  So we hope the same this year."

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A propeller engine on display

Not everyone here is looking to sell.  Some local governments, like the U.S. southern state of Alabama, are here to bring back more jobs to their regions.  Roger Wehner is with the Alabama Power Company. "Our whole intent is to try to find those folks who it makes sense to relocate to the southeastern United States for aerospace," he says.

This year the Paris Air Show is expected to attract more than 200,000 visitors from 150 countries.

1 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

2 propeller   

n.螺旋桨，推进器

参考例句：

• The propeller started to spin around.螺旋桨开始飞快地旋转起来。
• A rope jammed the boat's propeller.一根绳子卡住了船的螺旋桨。