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Oklahoma officials to visit Paris Air Show

Dale Denwalt

Oklahoma government officials and business leaders will represent the state overseas next week at the Paris Air Show, where they are expected to meet with executives from the aerospace industry.

Gov. Kevin Stitt will lead the delegation. On Friday, Stitt said the Oklahoma Department of Commerce previously has helped with business announcements totaling more than 7,000 new jobs and $700 million in capital development for the aerospace and defense industries.

"These international air shows are the only place where I can meet with the CEOs of all major US and foreign aerospace companies in one place, over three days," Stitt said. "I am looking forward to taking Oklahoma to the world at the Paris Air Show and letting global aerospace leaders know that our state is open for business."

He will be joined by U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum, Commerce Department Executive Director Brent Kisling and cabinet secretaries Sean Kouplen and Kayse Shrum.

Also in the delegation are state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and state Rep. Scott Fetgatter, R-Okmulgee. Both sit on business and commerce committees in the Oklahoma Legislature.

The cost of next week's visit will be shared by private sponsors from throughout the state, Department of Commerce spokeswoman Leslie Blair said. The trip is estimated to cost between $50,000 and $75,000.

Oklahoma is a frequent visitor to both Paris and the Farnborough International Airshow in England. They are each held in alternating years. The Paris Air Show is the largest commercial air show in the world and draws more than a quarter-million visitors.

Follow-up reports from the Paris Airshow 2017 showed more than $3.1 million in future sales due to new business from the five Oklahoma companies that partnered with Oklahoma's Department of Commerce, the agency said. The three companies that partnered with Commerce at last year’s Farnborough Airshow reported nearly $18 million in future sales due to new contracts.

This year, seven Oklahoma companies will be part of Oklahoma's delegation: Consolidated Turbine Specialists, Duncan Machine Works, Ferra Aerospace, Meta Special Aerospace, MST Manufacturing, Vantage Plane Plastics and WHI.