Advait Thakur: “Dubai Airshow 2025- Leadership at 30,000 Feet” and “What the World’s Top Aviation Giants Taught Me !

1. Airbus = Precision

Airbus proves that precision is not a metric, it’s a culture. And culture compounds into trust.

Lesson- Trust takes time to build.

2. Boeing = Resilience

With every challenge and every comeback, Boeing shows that global giants survive through resilience, not perfection.

Lesson- surviving the past 5 years is a leadership case study in itself.

3. Dassault = Mastery

Dassault’s aircraft reflect one thing, mastery is when engineering meets artistry.

Lesson- Few companies balance both.

4. Emirates = Execution

Emirates is a reminder that excellence is not an act, but the disciplined execution of scale.

Lesson- They think globally, invest aggressively, and execute ruthlessly.

5. Larsen & Toubro = Quality Engineering

L&T teaches that real innovation is built on decades of engineering discipline.

Lesson- Quality Engineering matters. They are solving problems others don’t even understand.

5. Orange Business = Impact

Impact of the technology is zero if it’s not supported by reliable connectivity and infrastructure. This is a non-negotiable priority for connected operations and security. If connectivity, security and operations wobble, everything gets impacted.

Lesson- The backbone and operation intelligence layer of future aviation is integrated and AI driven.

6. ST Engineering = Reliability

In aerospace and defense, reliability is a competitive advantage. ST Engineering demonstrates what consistency looks like in practice.

Lesson- They don’t make noise, quiet and consistent.

7. Starlink = Disruption

Starlink didn’t just create a product, it rewrote an entire infrastructure play. True disruption ignores “how things are done.”

Lesson- they rewrote the rules of the game and left incumbents scrambling.

8. SITA = Connectivity

Airports and Airplanes don’t move only people, they move data.

Lesson- SITA remains at the heart of connecting the world’s aviation ecosystem.

11. Safran = Craftsmanship

Safran reinforces that craftsmanship still matters in a world chasing speed.

Lesson- Excellence is to build one component at a time.

12. Tech Mahindra = Adaptability

TechM continues to shift from legacy IT to digital, AI, and aerospace tech.

Lesson- Adaptability remains their currency.

13. Thales = Security

Thales shows that the future of aerospace is cyber-first.

Lesson- Without security, innovation will collapse.

14. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) = Purpose over Profit

HAL reflects the power and combination of Accuracy, Precision and Quality Engineering at 30,000ft to build sovereign capability through persistence.

While I witnessed live an unfortunate and isolated occurrence at Dubai Airshow 2025 Nov, Tejas combat fighter continues to demonstrates the strong leadership message, purpose over profit.

Lesson- Few companies balances precision and top notch engineering qualities, and continues to be fighter.

PS- Original picture taken by hand held device, Tejas HAL- Advait Thakur - Dubai Airshow 2025