Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – 30 November 2025: The General Aviation Airshow 2025 “Sand & Fun” concluded its activities with spectacular success at Al Thumamah airport in Riyadh, held under the gracious patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Riyadh Region, launched by His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Founder and Chairman of the Saudi Aviation Club, on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar, with the attendance of His Royal Highness Lieutenant General Prince Turki bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, the Commander of the Saudi Royal Air Force and His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Fahd Al-Fahaid, Member of the Board of Directors and General Supervisor of the Club.

This confirm the airshow’s status as the largest and most important platform for general aviation in the Middle East and as a global meeting place for families and investors alike.

The airshow witnessed record levels in attendance, exceeding the set goal of more than 210 thousand visitors, from more than 90 countries and with the presence of more than 3 thousand visitors from international delegations and 30 speakers, which reflects the major transformation of the sector from merely a specialized interest to a vital strategic sector. The airshow’s activities took place between 25 and 29 November 2025.

Regarding the remarkable success of the airshow, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Founder and Chairman of the Saudi Aviation Club, affirmed: “The journey of the Saudi Aviation Club extending for twenty-five years is a living embodiment of the unlimited support we enjoy from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince – may God protect them – which transformed general aviation from a specialized interest to a strategic sector. The General Aviation Airshow 2025 ‘Sand & Fun’ has proven that it is the pivotal center for transforming general aviation from a specialized interest to a global strategic force. The investment in this sector is an investment in empowering youth and localizing technology, which embodies the essence of Saudi Vision 2030 by transforming ambition into sustainable achievements in the skies of our homeland”.

Strategic achievements exceeding 250 Million Saudi Riyals

The airshow witnessed unprecedented momentum in partnerships, as its five days were crowned with the signing of 18 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding with an economic impact exceeding 250 million Saudi Riyals, focusing specifically on technology transfer and the localization of advanced aviation industries in the Kingdom, in a way that serves the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

This success embodied the strength of integration between the public and private sectors to drive the wheel of growth within Saudi Vision 2030, supported by the main strategic sponsors and partners, including Cluster2, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and Health Holding Company, in addition to the Visit Saudi, and Al Eqtisadiah newspaper, and others of the supporters who contributed to driving the wheel of growth.

Global crowning by breaking a world record in Guinness World Records

And in a crowning of the Kingdom’s commitment to innovation and aerial entertainment, the Saudi Aviation Club announced its success in breaking a world record in Guinness World Records, which is “Most fireworks launched while suspended from a helicopter”. This stunning show, which used a Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm BP 105 P1M aircraft, formed a strong symbol of the integration of advanced aviation engineering with artistic creativity, confirming the global standing of the airshow.

Platform for inspiration, knowledge, and family entertainment

The airshow confirmed that it is a family gathering for education and entertainment, where visitors enjoyed a rich and inspiring experience that included:

• Aerial displays: More than 90 dazzling aerial displays, including shows and specialized and stunning nightly shows that illuminated the skies of the capital Riyadh.
• Static displays: A unique opportunity for direct interaction with the world of general aviation, where visitors were able to stand close to iconic aircraft and explore their details up close. It was also possible for them to speak directly with pilots and engineers to learn the secrets of general aviation and take distinctive photos in this exciting and educational atmosphere.
• Commercial displays: A vital business platform that includes more than 150 exhibiting entities from sector leaders designed to showcase the latest innovations and technologies in the aviation sector. This area allowed visitors to explore a distinct collection of exhibits and future models and facilitate communication with partners and decision-makers in the sector, which enhances the aspect of partnerships and business.
• “Hangar Talks”: The “Hangar Talks” hosted an elite group of experts and Saudi astronauts to discuss the future of sustainable General Aviation and advanced technologies such as Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOLs) vehicles, autonomous aircraft, and Artificial Intelligence applications in the general aviation sector.
• “Terminal X”: An advanced arena for innovation and technical activities, which provided a new dimension to the airshow and merged technologies, entertainment, and the culture of General Aviation in one integrated and innovative framework. Every experience inside “Terminal X” was designed to make the visitor feel the sense of flight through the integration between technology, light shows, extended reality, and immersive storytelling.
• “Kids Zone”: An area for children to discover a fun and breathtaking aviation world: virtual space journeys to Mars, real flying with winds and motion, thrilling wingsuit jumps, light shows and aircraft in the sky, aviation shopping, and anime cosplay – easy and stunning experiences for everyone! Activities included drone flying arena, pedal planes, fly racing wall, cloud hopper, aviation story circle, paper plane workshop, wing painting station, cockpit photo booth, aerodynamics lab, flight trivia zone, flight simulator, VR flying experiences, dream job, and more.

And in a step that confirms the social dimension of the initiative and celebrating the passing of 25 years since the establishment of the Saudi Aviation Club, His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman announced a special initiative to enhance inclusivity and celebrate all members of society, allowing free entry for visitors with disabilities and children under the age of six. The airshow also committed to providing comprehensive accessibility facilities and ensuring a facilitated experience at Al Thumamah airport, in a way that makes general aviation a shared passion for every member of society.

New leading and unified annual event for general aviation from the center of Riyadh

The Saudi Aviation Club and the German company “Messe Frankfurt”, one of the leading global companies in organizing exhibitions, conferences, and events, revealed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a new and unified annual event for general aviation in the Middle East region, with the aim of uniting global general aviation companies, pilots, innovators, and the entire sector community.

This unique collaboration integrates the famous and public-oriented airshow from the General Aviation Airshow 2025 “Sand & Fun” and the advanced sector platform Aero Middle East belonging to the “Messe Frankfurt” company, to form together the most prominent regional center for technologies, business, and the culture of general aviation at Al Thumamah airport.

This strategic step is a direct implementation of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and aims to transform and accelerate the growth of the general aviation sector in the Kingdom, to create an incentive for economic growth, technological advancement, and cultural exchange, and fully supports the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

In conclusion, the General Aviation Airshow 2025 “Sand & Fun” entrenched its position not as an annual event, but as a permanent national platform launching from the Kingdom toward the horizons of the world, confirming that the Saudi ambition in the general aviation sector sees no limits.