Even in the late '80s one could drive to IAM, park at the OM and go in for a coffee and a natter. Then stroll down to the side gate and walk to the pavilions and static display. Then back up the hill to the Officers' Enclosure for tea and stickies whilst watching the displays - all very civilised.
Watching the Mirage 4000 turning itself inside out one year, our grumpy Air Engineer mumbled "I'm glad they don't have Air Engineers on those things" - to which I replied that I was sure the Mirage pilot would agree!
I've been to a few trade days since, but the number of people in the pavilions has dwindled hugely. Quite difficult these days to get in to a chalet, but I do recall being fed G&T by Flight Refuelling thanks to Sir Michael reminiscing about the 'Wondrous piss-up' at the Randolph Hotel which his firm had given to 101 Sqn. That set me up to bluster my way onto the 'FLA' mock-up for an interesting session, until I was asked to leave because Hessletine was about to show up.
But the last time I went to Fanborough as a guest, the weather was so bad that we were all advised to take the train/bus as the car parks were a sea of mud. Which I did, but on my way back from the real A400M to the bus stop the heavens opened - and there were NO shelters at the bus stop. My fellow drowned rats and I were still dripping water when we reached Reading. As for the displays, really not that much to see. Whereas previously the A400M and A380 were certainly worth the trip.
The layout of the crowd line isn't very clever; even if you can get close there'll be snappers with a plethora of expensive cameras ruining any view.
My best trip to Farnborough was in 1966 thanks to the Fleet Air Arm - in the coal hole of a Sea Vixen. But the worst was leaving the show, only to hear a few minutes later that Air France had just had their Concorde accident....