Paris Airshow 2017

In pictures: Here’s what reached for the skies at the Paris Air Show

Traditional plane makers, space adventurers, software developers, and futuristic concepts were all battling for attention at the 52nd Paris Air Show last week.

The event ran until June 25 and CNBC looks back at some of the hardware that stole the headlines.

Boeing's winning debut

Source: Boeing

Boeing won the orders race at Paris and the one big reason was its unveiling of the Boeing 737-Max 10. It is the latest version of Boeing's fastest ever selling airplane.

The 737 MAX 10 has been launched as a competitive answer to the successful Airbus A321neo. The narrow body single-aisle plane took 371 orders and intentions from 16 different customers at the show. That equates to around $46 billion worth of business at list price, which is generally in excess of what the plane actually sells for.

Let's go supersonic

Source: Boom Supersonic

The last commercial supersonic flight was, of course, Concorde in 2003. Now, a U.S. firm says it wants to bring back traveling faster than the speed of sound by 2023. Boom Supersonic announced 76 orders from "five major airlines", although only Virgin has been unveiled.

The plane isn't built yet but testing will take place on a smaller "Baby Boom" plane next year. The full plane comes with two configurations of either 55 business class seats or 15 business with 30 first class seats on longer flights. A business class return ticket from London to New York is estimated at $5,000.

The F-35's charm offensive

A U.S. soldier stands guard as a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft is moved, on the eve of the 52nd Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France June 18, 2017.
Pascal Rossignol | Reuters

Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Department of Defense showcased the F-35B fighter jet at Paris as the troubled program attempted to win over doubters. Dubbed the most expensive weapon ever, the F-35 is expected to cost the Pentagon $379 billion over 40 years to buy more than 2,400 of the warplanes.

Maintenance is not included in that figure. Despite the cost overruns, ongoing technical issues and years of delays, it seems the plane is still attractive to some. Reuters reported that Lockheed Martin is on the brink of a huge $37 billion deal to sell 440 F-35 fighter jets to 11 nations.

Airbus A320 keeps on delivering

Source: Airbus

Airbus announced $39.7 billion worth of new business during the 2017 Paris Air Show. More than three-quarters of this business came from 306 orders and commitments for versions of its narrow body A320 family. The U.S. carrier Delta Airlines ordered 10 more Airbus A321s, adding to its previous commitment to buy 30. The A321 can hold up to 236 passengers and comes with a stated range of 3,700 miles.

Getting rid of the commute

Getty Images | Workhorse

A safer version of the helicopter is the aim of Workhorse founder and CEO Steve Burns, who says the Surefly Octocopter concept came to him when stuck in commuter traffic while on a school run. Running on gasoline, the concept vehicle offers a 50-mile range and can be taken to an altitude of 3,000 feet.

It comes complete with battery backup in case of engine failure and even a parachute if all else fails. The Surefly founders say farmers who can't afford helicopters could be a typical customer. Workhorse wants it certified by 2019 and is envisioning a price tag of around $200,000.

Or go for a flying car

Getty Images | Marlene Awaad

Another traffic busting option on show at Paris was the Slovakian AeroMobil 4.0 flying car. Running on gasoline, the AeroMobil as a car can hit a top speed of 100 miles per hour and as a plane more than 200 miles per hour.

The foldable wings allow transformation of the vehicle from car to plane in 3 minutes. The AeroMobil has started a two-year countdown to flight certification and will eventually be on sale for an estimated $1.2 million dollars. The firm says high net-worth individuals from business, sport and music are already showing interest.