While there are many international air shows on the Boeing calendar (Farnborough, Dubai, Moscow, Singapore), the Paris Air Show has the distinction of being first -- first in size, first in importance, and the very first in history. When the doors of the Grand Palais in Paris were opened on September 25, 1909, it marked the first exhibition devoted entirely to aviation.

During its first decade, the Paris Air Show was a gathering principally for French enthusiasts. By the 1920s, however, foreign exhibitors began to appear. The show was interrupted during the occupation of France in World War II but reappeared again after the war. In 1949, the flying demonstrations, which had become a necessary part of the exhibition, were staged at Orly Airport. In 1951, the flight presentations were moved to Le Bourget, the scene of Lindbergh's triumphant arrival in 1927. Two years later, the entire show moved to Le Bourget and assumed its modern form.

In 1957, two exhibitors of note made their first appearance at the Paris Air Show-the Soviet Union and The Boeing Company. On this first occasion, Boeing arrived with the B-47 -- the first swept-wing jet
bomber -- which set the design parameters for large jet aircraft to the present day. Subsequent years saw the company's introduction of all its major commercial jets, beginning with the 707 and reaching its
high point, perhaps, with the 1969 exhibit of the Boeing 747, which made an enormous impression in Paris. Visitors from every corner of the world lined up nearly around the clock for a first-hand glimpse of
the widebody jumbo jet. In 1983, the American Space Shuttle, Enterprise, was on display, perched atop a Boeing 747. In 1995, the 777 made its first appearance in Paris.

The Paris Air Show is now a fixture among the international aviation and aeronautical community. It is held every other year -- rotating with Britain's Farnborough Air Show -- and it's still the biggest. The 1995 Paris Air Show had a total of 1,643 exhibitors from 41 countries -- from Australia to Uzbekistan. Two hundred and twenty-four aircraft were displayed, and there were 54 demonstrations. More than 325,000 visitors attended the 1995 event. Of that number, 131,872 were there in a professional capacity. There were also more than 3,000 members of the media from 72 countries, representing over 1,300 publications and 192 TV and radio stations.

And yet the Air Show continues to grow. In 1997, Paris will be host to more than 1,700 exhibitors. The scale of The Boeing Company's participation is likewise keeping pace. The company will have about 120 delegates at the event, representing both the Commercial and Defense & Space groups and emphasizing the important relationships Boeing has with customers and suppliers around the world.

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