It must rank as one of the quietest air shows in history. Despite event posters featuring a red-devil bi-wing stunt plane flying upside down, the blue sky above was clear — no helicopters, no planes and no screaming jet fighters performing the aerial acrobatics typically seen at international air shows. There weren’t even grounded aircraft at the exhibition, near though it was to the Damascus International Airport. The attraction that closest resembled aviation technology was an Iranian-made flight simulator tucked away in a corner. Still, the first Syria Air Show International Aviation Technology Exhibition was a premiere event for the country. It signified that the Syrian aviation industry has made small but significant progress over the past few years, including the launch of two private airlines that broke the state-owned Syrian Arab Airlines’ (SAA) monopoly. United States President Barack Obama even extended an olive branch to Damascus, suggesting America may
