Farnborough Airshow - What Gives?

[Lazer-Hound]

Went there for the first time yesterday. I had always assumed Farnborough (and Paris) was where the world' major aerospace companies came to show off their very latest and greatest shiny new planes. But this year - No F35, no F22, no Grippen NG, no Rafale, not much in the way of UAV's. No Russian jets at all (yes there was an An-2) On the civil side, no 787 or A350. Is Farnborough losing its cachet?

Also, well done the US DoD for providing tours around F16, F15, F18F, UH72, C130J, C17, MV22. But where the hell was the RAF static display??? A CH47 and a Hawk. No tours, no crews to talk to. Pretty rubbish on the RAF's home turf. I know the average Swiss watch company now has more planes than the RAF, but really:mad:

Anyway, all worth it in the end to see a flying Vulcan:D Also great displays by Typhoon, F18 and A380.

[Halton Brat]

I was surprised to see the Vulcan there, as only recently she suffered a surge on take-off roll on two adjacent engines, when Silica Gel sacks left in an intake (for "engine drying") were not removed before crew-in/start-up. The engine surged on take-off roll & coughed debris into its' neighbouring engine, which also surged. Take-off was aborted successfully.

I have no idea how the Tin Triangle handles with x2 donks out on the same side; I'm sure that the crew were glad not to have to explore this part of the envelope. I am amazed that a) there was perhaps no open Tech Log entry for these sacks being in the intake, & b) that no visual check of the intakes before engine start would seem to have revealed this? Last I heard, they were looking for another x2 engines......

HB

[chopper2004]

Lazer Hound

The Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner was there Monday to Wednesday

There was a Russian airliner near the Korean Airlines 737-800

A350 hasn't flown AFAIK

There was a Gripen right at the far end past the Hawker Beechcraft area and opposite the Colombian AF Herk

Plus if you recall Farnborough 2010 the Dreamliner was only there from Monday to Wednesday.

Alongside with Paris last year a few good bits are only for the first few days of business as in the first Sikorsky Cyclone for the RCAF was there till Wednesday.

Best days to see stuff and not have umpteen crowds in your way I find, is the trade days :) plus crews to talk to :)

Cheers

[chopper2004]

Well the Vulcan flew fine at RIAT 48 hours earlier !

[Fareastdriver]

The Vulcan incident has been flogged to death on PPRune.

[High_Expect]

Simple - Farnbough = sales show. World Recession = broke governments. Broke Governments = no military sales. Taking jets to a sales event where there aren't going be any sales = pointless.

Ps. I'm led to believe the RAF crews were by the jet for an extended period (10hrs) without so much as a bottle of water from BAE. Thanks

[Chris Griffin]

Lazer Hound

Farnborough will always be an industry event. The RAF is merely an end user who only gets involved when requested and there is a pointed benefit to UK PLC.

As you are probably aware the RAF has been rather busy, and the usual ring round for volunteers to man static a/c these days usually generates nil returns due spending time with family / trying to have a life. Those who do attend are usually pressed men hence the reluctance to participate.

Not wishing to be rude, but I would much rather spend time off with family and friends than standing in liquid sunshine next to my jet and being asked how many rivets there are on the ldg gear doors.

[Climebear]

Just to add my appreciation to both the Reds (x5) and the Tornado pair who both flew directly over my quarter. You made an RAF officer exhiled to live with the Army very happy indeed. :ok:

[GrahamO]

F35 was there on the trade days outside the LM pavilion

Gripen was there on the trade days next to the runway

787 was there from Qatar Airways but it left early one morning I recall

Does the F22 ever actually appear in public ?

[A2QFI]

HB - as I read the report it was 2 engines out on the same side so the crew were in that envelope but hopefully not too near the boundaries!

[Halton Brat]

Hi A2, yes indeed that seems to be the case. Apologies to all for resurrecting this topic - I missed the discussion regarding this on another PpruNe thread! (I must pay attention......).

HB

[bobward]

I have a feeling that the F-35 was a plastic replica, and not a real one...

As others have said, it's much better if you can get in early in the week, on trade days. Several of the more interesting aircraft tend to leave by Wednesday. Weekends are Ok for general public viewing, but not so good if you've a professional interest, and diabolical if you want to photograph some of the aircraft.


I get the impression that it's very much an industry show (boy's days out) and they let in the great unwashed at the end of the week to subsidise it. My apologies if my personal view upsets some of your professionals. having attended all the shows since 1968, this has been my growing impression over that time, and not just during our recent recessions.:O

[chopper2004]

Bob,

When I gotten my degree results literally week before Farnborough the other decade :) first thing I did was rush down in a suit and several cvs mid week bought a trade ticket on the gate unfortunately didn't get a chance to finish everything by end of play that day! Prior to that had always attended Tatar dys g Farnborough by the grace of someone's spare pass!

So figured I go on the Sunday (big mistake ) and the one and only time I ventured onto public day and milled around the proposed USCG HH-139 Deepwater mock up and was exchanging details with the then Bell Agusta rep only to be interrupted by a large family (+8) descended around me and fired a barrage of questions before rep business card found its way into my paws! So the guy inadvertantly politely turned away from me and gave the large family (led by a generously proportioned gypsy type lady who was doing the shouting). Funny question she asked did it fly considering it was a mock up minus blades :)

[BEagle]

As an air-mad 'baby boomer' of the 1950s, the Farnborough Air Show was one of the very few aviation events shown on the 2-channel 405-line TV of the day and was keenly anticipated. The voice of Raymond Baxter describing each BRITISH aircraft was always to be heard...

I then went there in 1966 as a guest of the Fleet Air Arm. In the coal-hole of an 892 Sqn Sea Vixen F(AW)Mk2, thanks to the kindness of their Boss! I recall lots of 'g' during the 'rocket attcak' and being rather airsick as we held waiting for the run-in, but it didn't dent my enthusiasm for a career as a military pilot.

At Valley, we were all expecting to watch the Farnborough Air Show one Sunday when BBC Druidvision announced that they would be showing a Welsh classical music programme instead...the TV only just escaped destruction! "Dim Ffrnbryw" indeed!

In the early 1980s, I went on a sqn push from Wattisham and the displays were still pretty good. Then in the mid-80s, I went a couple of times while IAM still existed; you could park there (if you knew a mate), have coffee in the OM, then stroll down through the gate to 'do' the exhibitions and blag the odd G&T from people such as Flight International or Flight Refuelling. Apart from flying the press in a VC10K to film the MiG 29s arriving in 1988, the next time I went was when I manged to win the 'squadron ticket' in 1992, which allowed me to escape UAS Summer Camp QFI-ing for a day.

Then I went as a guest on 25 July 2000. Well looked-after; the hosting company was very generous and grateful for the VC10K flypasts I'd managed to have approved, so watching the display from their chalet was very enjoyable. But as I drove home, the news came in of the AF4590 Concorde crash which had occurred just as I'd left the show.....

A couple of years ago the weather was very hot and the walk from the car park at Gate I seemed endless. The exhibitions were quite well attended and the display included A400M, A380, Typhoon and the like. Quite an extensive static display too. B£oody annoying to have to go through that 'airport security' nonsense at the entrance though.

But this year, the weather was awful even on the best weather trade day. Fortunately I was there to meet people with aeroplanes large enough to keep the rain off! Including the A400M 'Atlas', which any trucky lucky enough to fly will simply adore. Exhibition halls virtually empty (and a very poor guide to the locations of exhibitors) and the flying display was very brief indeed. MV-22 excellent and I want a Gripen for Christmas! I was warned that the car parks were swamp-like, so took the train - but the organisers hadn't rigged up any bus shelters for people waiting for the shuttle back to North Camp. Why ever not? Hardly rocket science after 3 days of pouring rain to work out that some scaffolding and an awning or two might be a good idea? Took ages to get back to North Camp - then a piddling little 3 coach train turned up, so it was sardine class all the way to Reading.

Farnborough most certainly is a mere shadow of its former self, when it was THE airshow of the year. Was it worth £30 to attend? No, it most certainly was not. But I'll probably go again....:hmm:

[green granite]

Back in the 60's and 70's I had a 'frequent visitors pass' for RAE and would very often nip in the Pyestock gate, find a suitable vantage point and just watch the show. Just occasionally I'd go into the show area but not very often.
I remember one company that used to put out all it's unwanted brochures left over from overseas sales drives on Sat/Sun as it was a good way of getting rid of them

[Sir George Cayley]

I think it cynical of the organisers (still SBAC?) to advertise the public events at the weekend without telling the public that some of the major attractions won't be there.

Some of the public days I attended last century were up to RIAT standard and I still remember the first Concorde flypast to this day.

Sad to see such an institution lose its gloss.

SGC

[TEEEJ]

Lazer Hound,

Two Russian Knight Su-27s were down to attend Farnborough. Red tape got in the way.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/489825-display-validation-week-fboro.html

The Russians did send a Yak-130. The Yak was flying during the trade days.

[whowhenwhy]

Would certainly agree that the weekend provided a subsidy to the rest of the week. £32.40 to feed a family of four a burger from a malnourished animal (I can't with hand on heart say it was a cow) and some chips was a bl00dy disgrace. The Blades were phenomenal as ever and particularly enjoyed the F18 display, very impressive. Mrs WWW was casting a wistful eye at the departures gate while I sighed at the Vulcan. Such a shame they don't do the 'old' display take off...

[Aero Mad]

Lazer-Hound, I think you're a little unfair given that there was a Sukhoi Superjet, an F18, a number of drones and a Hawk and a Eurofighter displayed on the ground. Remember we're in the middle of rather a financial squeeze and defence budgets aren't excluded. If things pick up then Farnborough 2014 will probably be a little more lively.

[NutLoose]

I must admit I do not go to major shows these days and probably not for the last 20 years due to the ever decreasing airshow displays and static park that seems to be inversely proportional to the traffic and queuing... I normally take in the likes of Bruntingthorpe that organises an excellent little show with stuff of old blasting up and down the runway... I did however go to Cosford and admittedly the weather was on not on their side, but a poor airshow with next to no content and a next to non existant static line reinforced why I stopped going to them..... Oh and numpties putting up tents to sit in on the crowd line, something organisers should stop, made me realise why they are simply not worth the £25 Cosford was charging.

This was at the last QRA scramble show at Bruntingthorpe

Lightning Preservation Group QRA Scramble Bruntingthorpe 15th July 2012 - YouTube

[500N]

I used to enjoy going every year, taken by my father who often went
to the industry days because of his involvement with the commercial
manufacture of titanium.

The one show I can vividly remember was the arrival of the SR-71 Blackbird.
I just checked and it was 1974.

Anyone else remember that ?

[NutLoose]

It broke the transatlantic record did it not? And decelerated over London eventually turning over Paris? If my memory serves me right

[500N]

Correct re speed record.

I was going to ask that question but thought it inappropriate but since you mentioned it.

I heard that it over shot the UK and ended up over Europe (I think Belgium)
before being able to turn around. Not sure of the truth of it though.


When confirming the year, I found this great web site.
The speed record SR-71 Speed Run-New York to London (http://www.sr71.us/srspee~1.htm)

and photos exactly as I remember it at Farnborough.
SR71 Image Archive #1 (http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/image2~1.htm)

[Helol]

I was there on the Friday.

The A380 was impressive, as was the F18. Makes the typhoon sound like a lawn mower.

It appears to have been a successful show this year:

Defpro news: (http://www.defpro.com/news/details/37519/?SID=f8a4d995365404435ffb2daa7a17bf82)

ADS, the UK’s AeroSpace, Defence and Security trade organisation and its subsidiary company Farnborough International Limited (FIL) on Friday, 13 July, announced the orders and attendee figures to date for the Farnborough International Airshow, held in Hampshire, UK between 09 – 15 July, 2012.

The 2012 show was sold out with an increased number of exhibiting companies (1506) compared to the 2010 show (1450). This year’s event saw excellent engagement from decision-makers with 15 UK Government ministers including the Prime Minister, as well as ministers from overseas plus 70 delegations from 46 countries, in attendance. As expected trade visitors overall were down by 9% which is in line with efficiency savings expected throughout the aerospace industry and within our customer base.

Orders for the show so far total $72 billion (~£46.6 billion). This is significantly up on the orders for 2010 which were totalled $47 billion (~£31 billion), and only £16bn down from the peak boom year in 2008 when the show saw $88.7 billion of orders".

[gsxrww]

I would just like to add that the Tornado role demo was well done on Sunday, good commentary and different from the usual aero's, and reminded me of Farnboroughs from a while ago, which had flash bangs, and fast fly-bys.

Well done to the 2 crews and support staff from 15(R)

:ok::ok::ok:

[oldmansquipper]

I guess if the show was organised by G4S and not SBAC then there would have been a far greater military aviation involvement - albeit at short notice..;)

[folkyphil]

I was fortunate to be given a Complimentary ticket for Saturday or Sunday. Unfortunately, for me it had to be Saturday...the wet day.
Free shuttle bus from/to Aldershot was very efficient.
I entered the queue for "security". Didn't understand a word spoken by the marshalls, however within 5 minutes we went through the barrier. Something "beeped", and I was asked to step aside for a body search. Meanwhile my wallet and phone were still sitting at the scanner, so I insisted on retrieving them before the search. Nothing untoward resulted, but my bag (full with cameras, car keys, food etc.) was not inspected at all. Something of a farce, in my opinion...
Once into the show...and the torrential rain...I was delighted that I had taken my own provisions for the day. The prices charged for food/drink were extortionate.
The flying programme was as good as could be expected, given the poor weather conditions. In the static area, the U.S.Mil should be complimented for their enthusiastic presentation of their aircraft. Sadly, I didn't see many other organisations talking with the public.

Would it have been worth paying £41 for a ticket? Definitely NO.

Sunday's weather was much better, so I made the afternoon pilgrimage to Caesar's Camp (high ground to the south of Farnboro') from which I have watched nearly all the shows since 1955.
Probably 1000 people watching from this vantage point. Many Nepalese families (the Ghurkas used to be based a few miles away, so this was "their" stomping ground) sitting and watching patiently. Sadly this could not be said for some of the Brits, with their bored and out-of-control kids and dogs.
As soon as the Red Arrows had finished their display, most of the latter cleared-off home, with more than an hour's flying still to be enjoyed, not least the Vulcan.

Credit to the single "Red" which overflew the ridge and gave us a quick "wing waggle" after one of the formation breaks.

Overall, a far cry from the "halcyon days" of Farnborough, but an institution nevertheless.

[BEagle]

I entered the queue for "security". Didn't understand a word spoken by the marshalls, however within 5 minutes we went through the barrier. Something "beeped", and I was asked to step aside for a body search. Meanwhile my wallet and phone were still sitting at the scanner, so I insisted on retrieving them before the search. Nothing untoward resulted, but my bag (full with cameras, car keys, food etc.) was not inspected at all. Something of a farce, in my opinion...

Much as I detest the daft notion of these checks at an exhibition such as the Farnborough Airshow, at least my experience was rather more positive. I'd bought my trade badge on-line, so was waved straight to security. A polite, well-dressed young Asian lad asked me to empty my pockets into a couple of plastic bags whilst my bag with laptop, power supply and VGA cable went through the scanner. Then I retrieved my belongings and the young chap thanked me for my understanding and wished me an enjoyable show.

The metal buttons on the jacket I was wearing didn't upset the scanning arch, so I guess it was set to a more sensible level than the paranoid airport level...

A rather more pleasant security chap than the usual neanderthal bottom-fondling failed wheelclampers one encounters at airports these days

[sandozer]

Did the BBC do any coverage of Farnborough this year? Can`t find any links on their iplayer.

[BEagle]

I doubt it - they cannot seem to think of anything except the Infernal Sports Day.....

[Blacksheep]

2:36 to the runway threshold? Pathetic. Half a squadron of Vulcans would have been on the way to Moscow in half that time. ;)

[Warmtoast]

No invite this year and unwilling to pay the Public Day's prices I watched from my favourite free vantage point by the fence on the south side of the airfield alongside the towpath of the Basingstoke Canal.

A bit dissapointed with what was on offer this year, nothing IMHO like earlier shows.

Going through my scanned 35mm transparncies I have quite a few taken at earlier shows, but am uncertain of the dates.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s19.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s5.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s12.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s10.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s7.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s2.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s4.jpg

[Warmtoast]

Some other early SBAC show photos. First two shots from the days when one could troop through the various big aircraft on show. For this display Comet in at the front and out at the back.

Regarding the second interior view - I've no recollection of the aircraft at all.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s6.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s3.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s11.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s13.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s20.jpg

[simon brown]

500N

Certainly do remember the SR71 flight across the Atlantic record. I was a 9 year old packed in the back of my mates dads old humber and hearing on the radio, passing Swindon it had just left the states.By the time we had got there, parked up and were walking to the statics, it arrived!....and if I recall the weather wasnt particulary good either..I was in my element and collected every sticker, brochure and poster from the trade stands I could:)..happy days

[John Farley]

Your G-VTOL smoke pic 2 was 1976 and the IN SHAR climb out pic 3 was 1982.

Not sure about your first pic as can't see enough of the paint scheme details to identify the particular aircraft

JF

[SpringHeeledJack]

Regarding the second interior view - I've no recollection of the aircraft at all.

In reply to Warmtoast, I have the feeling that the garish colours belonged to the Lockheed TriStar of PSA in 1974's SBAC. Maybe it ended up at Brize ?

[GrahamO]

You mean the G4S lot who provided all the security for the seven days and through whose security portals you passed to gain entry ?

[LowObservable]

Great shots, WT. Love the Westminster! SHJ is, I suspect, right about the TriStar. Amazing to think that they were (very briefly) in service from LAX to SFO for a $20.75 one way fare.

[Warmtoast]

John Farley

Thanks for the clarification. Were you driving the two aircraft in question?

A couple more photos from earlier shows.


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s1.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s14.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s16.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s17.jpg



http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Farnborough%20Early%20Days/Farnborough1960sor1970s18.jpg

[John Farley]

Yes I was. Those were the days.

JF

[Brian 48nav]

My experience was similar to yours, airshows in the late 50s and early 60s which I or Mum had to pay for, followed by a run of freebies.

'67 courtesy of fiancee's Dad, who worked there as a 'boffin' - he worked on trials with,among other things, the V Force moving map (Green Satin?),HUD and Laser Bomb technique.
'70 as the nav on the Red Arrows support Herc, brought the ground crew and stuff from the Cologne/Bonn show into Farnborough. the Red's boss was Dennis Hazell,sadly killed a couple of years later.
'72 as the nav on the lead Herc in the display.
'82 an ATC freebie
'90 a freebie via my wife's job
and lastly last Saturday a freebie from No1 son, taking part in his first session on the display committee.

Having not been for years I was disappointed with the size of the exhibition and of the flying display, obviously the weather had a part to play in the latter. There seemed to be far too many rip-off drinks and food outlets that gave the whole show a somewhat seedy air. The highlight for me was the A380, and grandson and I managed to be shown around it after it landed, with him promising to email the pilots a copy of a photo he had taken showing the machine producing it's own clouds.

Amusing sequel to my tale from No2 son who was on duty as a NATS London Terminal ATCO on Saturday afternoon. He had just returned from a break to be told that the guy he had relieved had refused a request from Farnborough to 'up the airspace'. He rang them and said 'Of course you can have the airspace,my Dad and brother are there!'.