Farnborough 2004
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Farnborough 2004
As usual, my wife and I have spent several afternoons this week at a convenient spot just north of Farnborough watching the display (as a retired ATCO I can't afford to pay to get in!).
Isn't the "show" just a shadow of it's former glory? (And the B52 cock-up yesterday didn't help!).
I wonder how many readers go back to the "good old days" of Farnborough? My first one was in 1958 and I have plenty of memories of very fast jets hurtling down the runway at just a few feet above the ground, whereas nowadays most of the particpants are so high they're almost contrailing. I recall 22 Hunters being looped... A Victor being rolled plus hot little jets like Fairey Delta 2 really moving about fast.. Javelin, Lighning, Scimtar, Buccaneer... Britannia, Viscount and Vanguard..... And where are all the aerobatic teams? The RN had a great team of Seahawks and there were several RAF teams plus the inevitable Army helicopters. This year.... nothing! As for that Typhoon thing - it looks like a mini-Airfix kit out of a cornflake box and not a patch on the two Yanks - F18 and F16. We even have to rely on the Italians to show us a Tornado!!
The commentary is fun, eh? Nobody, but nobody will ever replace Major Oliver Stewart - THE best Farnborough commentator of all time....
I guess it's just old age on my part and the youngsters think it's fantastic? Problem is, I still remember when the UK had an aircraft industry...
Isn't the "show" just a shadow of it's former glory? (And the B52 cock-up yesterday didn't help!).
I wonder how many readers go back to the "good old days" of Farnborough? My first one was in 1958 and I have plenty of memories of very fast jets hurtling down the runway at just a few feet above the ground, whereas nowadays most of the particpants are so high they're almost contrailing. I recall 22 Hunters being looped... A Victor being rolled plus hot little jets like Fairey Delta 2 really moving about fast.. Javelin, Lighning, Scimtar, Buccaneer... Britannia, Viscount and Vanguard..... And where are all the aerobatic teams? The RN had a great team of Seahawks and there were several RAF teams plus the inevitable Army helicopters. This year.... nothing! As for that Typhoon thing - it looks like a mini-Airfix kit out of a cornflake box and not a patch on the two Yanks - F18 and F16. We even have to rely on the Italians to show us a Tornado!!
The commentary is fun, eh? Nobody, but nobody will ever replace Major Oliver Stewart - THE best Farnborough commentator of all time....
I guess it's just old age on my part and the youngsters think it's fantastic? Problem is, I still remember when the UK had an aircraft industry...
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Apart from lack of aircraft (particularly British, we are now largely a component maker) the actual flying display has been reduced to a mere two hours and is a shadow of what it once was. I blame the increasing regulations which means the display line (and all displays now suffer in the same way) is too far removed from the public and height restrictions also contribute to a less than spectacular event. If the aircraft are not brought back in view of the spectators air show attendances will drop off further (see RIAT thread) and the shows will die. Only the hardened enthusiasts will bother but they are not sufficient to make the shows economical.
Both Farnborough and RIAT need reinvigorating to attract the public back
Both Farnborough and RIAT need reinvigorating to attract the public back
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Heathrow Director,
couldn't agree more. I spent the first 20 years of my life living on the corner of Alexandra and Albert Road which is roughly 1 mile from 25 (as it was then) on the centre line.
Farnborough was 2 weeks of complete chaos, what with the roads, the build up and down. I loved every minute of it and there was always plenty to see.
I went to the last Farnborough with my 2 kids and the display was pretty awful, a lot of things flying twice just to make a reasonable display length.
I was going to take them this Sunday, but seeing the display I don't think I will bother, and I'm not going to pay £40 just to see a lame display.
I suppose others will say its a business event now and there isn't the money. This is probably true and its sad to say that this Farnborough (and possibly the next) will be the last ones the public can/will want to attend.
BTW, I was on a train between North Camp and Ash and saw a b52 (on Monday) doing a long looping turn downwind to fly back over the airfield. What was the cock-up ? and will the B52 be flying every day ?
couldn't agree more. I spent the first 20 years of my life living on the corner of Alexandra and Albert Road which is roughly 1 mile from 25 (as it was then) on the centre line.
Farnborough was 2 weeks of complete chaos, what with the roads, the build up and down. I loved every minute of it and there was always plenty to see.
I went to the last Farnborough with my 2 kids and the display was pretty awful, a lot of things flying twice just to make a reasonable display length.
I was going to take them this Sunday, but seeing the display I don't think I will bother, and I'm not going to pay £40 just to see a lame display.
I suppose others will say its a business event now and there isn't the money. This is probably true and its sad to say that this Farnborough (and possibly the next) will be the last ones the public can/will want to attend.
BTW, I was on a train between North Camp and Ash and saw a b52 (on Monday) doing a long looping turn downwind to fly back over the airfield. What was the cock-up ? and will the B52 be flying every day ?
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<<BTW, I was on a train between North Camp and Ash and saw a b52 (on Monday) doing a long looping turn downwind to fly back over the airfield. What was the cock-up ? and will the B52 be flying every day ?>>
On Monday the B52 did a fly-past down the runway. Yesterday it kinda missed and I think anyone at Blackbushe might have had quite a shock! The daily flying display list on the Internet suggests the B52 won't be there today, but the F117 and B1B will.
On Monday the B52 did a fly-past down the runway. Yesterday it kinda missed and I think anyone at Blackbushe might have had quite a shock! The daily flying display list on the Internet suggests the B52 won't be there today, but the F117 and B1B will.
Last edited by HEATHROW DIRECTOR; 21st Jul 2004 at 12:25.
Farnbourough's past
It is sad how what used to be a proud showing of the best of British and the rest of the World's aircraft has degenerated into the miserable display I saw a couple of years ago, which left me about £25.00 poorer with no enthausiasm for another visit.
When I think back over the years at the sight's I have seen (and these are just the instant memories). Roly Falk rolling a Vulcan was a little before my time but I remember Vulcan XA903 testing the Olympus 593 for the Concorde wonder plane that hadn't yet flown.
Bill Loverseed spreading his Buffalo over the runway (fortunately only pride and the Buffalo were hurt), Gordon Corps doing the slowest ever max rate pullup in the A310 proof of concept demonstrator for FBW - we thought it was going to fall out of the sky.
The fabulous moment when an F-16 pulled up from takeoff into a loop and as he reached inverted just brushing the clouds, the controller requsted :- "Uh F-16 report height of cloudbase please" and a very strained voice said "its uh one eight uh zero uh zero feet sir."
Seeing Mriya for the first time - parked next to DH Comet G-ACSS - and the tail slides by the MiG 29 and Su-27 and an "off the runway and half on the grass" landing by (I think) an AN-22.
The little display last time with a few tired aeroplanes of no particular significance flying twice to make up the time isn't going to get me back in a hurry.
All Farnborough means to me now is having to depart Fairoaks via Ockham for a couple of weeks.
When I think back over the years at the sight's I have seen (and these are just the instant memories). Roly Falk rolling a Vulcan was a little before my time but I remember Vulcan XA903 testing the Olympus 593 for the Concorde wonder plane that hadn't yet flown.
Bill Loverseed spreading his Buffalo over the runway (fortunately only pride and the Buffalo were hurt), Gordon Corps doing the slowest ever max rate pullup in the A310 proof of concept demonstrator for FBW - we thought it was going to fall out of the sky.
The fabulous moment when an F-16 pulled up from takeoff into a loop and as he reached inverted just brushing the clouds, the controller requsted :- "Uh F-16 report height of cloudbase please" and a very strained voice said "its uh one eight uh zero uh zero feet sir."
Seeing Mriya for the first time - parked next to DH Comet G-ACSS - and the tail slides by the MiG 29 and Su-27 and an "off the runway and half on the grass" landing by (I think) an AN-22.
The little display last time with a few tired aeroplanes of no particular significance flying twice to make up the time isn't going to get me back in a hurry.
All Farnborough means to me now is having to depart Fairoaks via Ockham for a couple of weeks.
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 21st Jul 2004 at 13:55.
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Probably time to call it a day at Farnboro in my view. The cost for the manufacturers to take space on the airfield is stupidly astronomic and I recall the Shorts CEO saying a few years back "we cannot afford Farnboro anymore but, we cannot afford NOT to be here!"
I would give F'boro another 10 years and it will be gone, and Le Bourget will be the annual venue.
I would give F'boro another 10 years and it will be gone, and Le Bourget will be the annual venue.
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Can anyone confirm that exhibitors had to pay for tickets even if they werent used? A number of our vendors were extremely keen to make sure that the tickets were going to be used.
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Oh great. I was getting all excited over going to talk to some aviation know alls, and now, reading this, it looks like I've paid E120 on flights to LHW for a bum deal. Thank God, being Irish, I've never seen anything better and Farnborough isn't all I'll be looking into on the weekend. Is there anyone out there who will be there on Sunday? I'm flying in on Saturday morning, would I be better off going straight from there? And is it worth it for an engineering student to bring CVs?
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Can anyone post a link to the scheduled flying displays for the weekend. Had a look on the official site but it appears that they don't publish the days flying activity until the night before, unless I'm looking in the wrong place. Thanks.
HD...I have similar recollections re: "The good 'ol' days".
My family took me as a child onto Caesar's Camp (...the ridge about 2 miles to the south of the airfield) from the early 1950s.
I am told that I saw the Princess flying boat (though I can't recall it personally). I do remember most of the other items which you mention...also the Leonides-powered Herald.
I started "spotting" in 1962 and "Airshow fortnight" (...that included the practicing and departures) was the highlight of each year.
Apparently few constraints regarding high speed manoevres to the south and west of the airfield, and lots of air-to-air photos being taken, with Shackleton and Hastings cameraships, if I remember correctly.
1966 was a particularly good year; I would cycle from Farnham to Odiham, then to Blackbushe and back home via Farnboro'.
Odiham had mil visitors galore; we would congregate at the southern gate, from where we would be escorted to take photos of the visiting aircraft....Flamants,, Valettas, Ansons, DC6s to mention but a few! HAPPY DAYS!
I think '66 was the year of the mass "attack" on Farnboro with Buccaneer, Sea Vixen, Scimitar, Argosy and Wessex formations sweeping-in from the Odiham direction.
From the early '70s I was working at LATCC, so had a good insight as to what was happening, and when....
Northside of Farnboro'...near where the golf course is now (or has that been built-on as well?)..there was a little field in which one could park for £1.
I recall a Gnat(?) parting the upper branches of a tall oak tree at the end of a Red Arrows bomb-burst...thought my old Morris Minor was a'gonna for a few seconds!
The "year of the Buffalo" found me invited to a hospitality chalet for a brandy breakfast; ended-up sitting alongside a certain Mr.B.Trubshaw. Can't remember much about the flying display!
And so to 2004....
The B1B apart, I have not noticed anything other than the usual stream of bizjets in and out....until Wed afternoon,that is. The B52 wandered over Farnham then back towards Lasham. Perhaps rumours that the Fleet and Church Crookham Militia has been issued with new catapult elastic have filtered back to the Pentagon!
With fine wx forecast for the weekend, I expect to watch Sunday's display from my usual vantage point...but I'll probably take a good book along as well.
My family took me as a child onto Caesar's Camp (...the ridge about 2 miles to the south of the airfield) from the early 1950s.
I am told that I saw the Princess flying boat (though I can't recall it personally). I do remember most of the other items which you mention...also the Leonides-powered Herald.
I started "spotting" in 1962 and "Airshow fortnight" (...that included the practicing and departures) was the highlight of each year.
Apparently few constraints regarding high speed manoevres to the south and west of the airfield, and lots of air-to-air photos being taken, with Shackleton and Hastings cameraships, if I remember correctly.
1966 was a particularly good year; I would cycle from Farnham to Odiham, then to Blackbushe and back home via Farnboro'.
Odiham had mil visitors galore; we would congregate at the southern gate, from where we would be escorted to take photos of the visiting aircraft....Flamants,, Valettas, Ansons, DC6s to mention but a few! HAPPY DAYS!
I think '66 was the year of the mass "attack" on Farnboro with Buccaneer, Sea Vixen, Scimitar, Argosy and Wessex formations sweeping-in from the Odiham direction.
From the early '70s I was working at LATCC, so had a good insight as to what was happening, and when....
Northside of Farnboro'...near where the golf course is now (or has that been built-on as well?)..there was a little field in which one could park for £1.
I recall a Gnat(?) parting the upper branches of a tall oak tree at the end of a Red Arrows bomb-burst...thought my old Morris Minor was a'gonna for a few seconds!
The "year of the Buffalo" found me invited to a hospitality chalet for a brandy breakfast; ended-up sitting alongside a certain Mr.B.Trubshaw. Can't remember much about the flying display!
And so to 2004....
The B1B apart, I have not noticed anything other than the usual stream of bizjets in and out....until Wed afternoon,that is. The B52 wandered over Farnham then back towards Lasham. Perhaps rumours that the Fleet and Church Crookham Militia has been issued with new catapult elastic have filtered back to the Pentagon!
With fine wx forecast for the weekend, I expect to watch Sunday's display from my usual vantage point...but I'll probably take a good book along as well.
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Hi folkyphil. I just love your banter, as they say! Don't you reckon our generation saw the best years of aviation?
Nobody has mentioned Ranald Porteus and the Auster... something different without a doubt!
And Odiham stuff.... Oh yes.. During one of my very early visits a Portuguese Air Force Harpoon flew very very low over Farnborough en route for Odiham... I shall remember that sight until my dying day.. And as a Heathrow ATCO who copped the SVFR position during one Farnborough... around 5.15pm the Farnborough line rang and an extremely terrified voice, 8 octaves above normal, screamed "They're coming". He just meant the helicopters heading for Battersea and a dozen other places around Heathrow! Jeez.... they were the days.
Nobody has mentioned Ranald Porteus and the Auster... something different without a doubt!
And Odiham stuff.... Oh yes.. During one of my very early visits a Portuguese Air Force Harpoon flew very very low over Farnborough en route for Odiham... I shall remember that sight until my dying day.. And as a Heathrow ATCO who copped the SVFR position during one Farnborough... around 5.15pm the Farnborough line rang and an extremely terrified voice, 8 octaves above normal, screamed "They're coming". He just meant the helicopters heading for Battersea and a dozen other places around Heathrow! Jeez.... they were the days.
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Just out of curiosity, do the guys doing the(flying) display use the same frequencies as everyone else? example:134.35, 125.25 etc or do they have a seperate one just for the displays if you know what I mean?
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Of course Farnborough's not even a pale shadow of what it used to be, and deeply depressing to reflect on the fact that few of the British aircraft that used to be there ever made any money anyway. A grand illusion really, but a lot of fun in the process.
But what on earth is going to happen on the public days, assuming that they intend to search everyone? If it's necessary on the trade days it's necessary on the public days, but how is anyone going to get in in less than 4 hours?
But what on earth is going to happen on the public days, assuming that they intend to search everyone? If it's necessary on the trade days it's necessary on the public days, but how is anyone going to get in in less than 4 hours?
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It seems that the Farnborough Airshow noise will always haunt me.
I live in Hindhead and mid afternoon there was a temendous noise which signalled 5 Red Arrows passing directly over my house at what must have been around 250 feet. About 5 seconds later 2 others flew over, followed by the final 2.
The front 5 were moving reasonably fast but not nearly as fast or noisey as the remaining 2 sets which were obviously in catch up mode.
I bet it woke a few of the old dears up around here and no doubt complaints will follow.
I live in Hindhead and mid afternoon there was a temendous noise which signalled 5 Red Arrows passing directly over my house at what must have been around 250 feet. About 5 seconds later 2 others flew over, followed by the final 2.
The front 5 were moving reasonably fast but not nearly as fast or noisey as the remaining 2 sets which were obviously in catch up mode.
I bet it woke a few of the old dears up around here and no doubt complaints will follow.
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BRL.. The frequencies in use during "Farnborough Week" are promulgated in the public domain but the Tower uses a discrete "Display" frequency in lieu of the usual one during the actual flying display.
Looks like today (Friday) the show should be much better than the previous few days..
Looks like today (Friday) the show should be much better than the previous few days..
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For the third time this week my wife and I watched the Farnborough show from our favourite little spot just north of the airfield.
In our opinion the show-stealer was the SAA B747-400. An absolutely brilliant flying display which had us standing and cheering (and me almost crying!).... and the climb to FL100 over the field at the end was amazing.
Many congrats to the guys up front..... you did an old controller a power of good.
In our opinion the show-stealer was the SAA B747-400. An absolutely brilliant flying display which had us standing and cheering (and me almost crying!).... and the climb to FL100 over the field at the end was amazing.
Many congrats to the guys up front..... you did an old controller a power of good.
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Actually found and flew passed Farnborough? 
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Well, he made the A340 display look pretty tame that's for sure... and he must have made 4-5 passes and carried out a spectacular climb. In an air show which needed several displays by Spitfires to fill out the time this was something special. Don't misunderstand, I like Spitfires - in moderation. Today there are going to be THREE Spitfire displays (yawwnnn). I'll probably go back for the 747 though...