The deafening sound of a pirouetting "lightning" plane boomed over Ysterplaat Air Force Base yesterday, marking the start of the countdown to the African aviation and maritime trade exhibition, the first to be held in Cape Town.

African Aerospace and Defence 2006 (AAD 2006), billed as the continent's "largest and most important international exhibition for aerospace, maritime, and defence industry", is expected to create huge revenue and employment opportunities for Cape Town and the continent.

The event, to be held on September 20-24, is to provide a platform for Africa's innovators to boost trade with companies and governments around the world.

"The maritime and aviation sectors are critical to Africa's development," Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe said in a speech delivered at the base on his behalf.

This was an "opportunity for the industry to show off new technologies, new systems, and new styles of operation and support to governments, commercial airlines, airport administrations, aviation agencies and air forces across the continent".

Air transport contributes $55.5 billion to Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) and directly and indirectly employs more than three million people.

Africa's seaborne trade also accounted for a large proportion of its GDP, Radebe said. For these reasons, South Africa's departments of defence, transport, and trade and industry all "fully support" the event.

"This is an important magnet for Africa to promote global trade and growth," said Oliver Stratford, chairman of AAD 2006.

He said it was expected the five-day exhibition would attract delegations and companies from more than 25 countries and be an even greater success than those in previous years.

The AAD 2004 exhibition, held in Tshwane, created more than 1 000 jobs, drew 120 000 visitors and generated R150 million in revenue.

This year, the objectives of the exhibition are to build a "chain of supply" between Africa's smaller but advanced companies and larger global corporations like Airbus and Boeing.

Defence and non-defence technologies are to be showcased at the exhibition.

While AAD is a renowned part of the international aviation exhibition circuit, the trade show is intended specifically to boost Africa's industries.

"In the African context, where budgets are tight and the need is colossal, innovation and technological development that seeks to get as much bang out of each buck as possible is a strong asset that must be encouraged and maintained," said Radebe.

Because of the changing face of warfare, humanitarian assistance equipment is also to be emphasised.

"Our South African defence technology and manufacturing sector is a vibrant, though sometimes beleaguered, partner in our economic development," said Radebe.

"This is a good opportunity for everyone involved in aerospace and the related maritime areas of expertise to see what the continent has to offer."

With acknowledgement to Heather Downie and Cape Times.