Farnborough Air Show
Encyclopedia
Farnborough Airfield
Farnborough Airport or TAG London Farnborough Airport is an airport situated in Farnborough, Rushmoor, Hampshire, England...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The airshow is organised by Farnborough International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of ADS Group Limited
ADS Group
ADS Group Limited, informally known as Aerospace Defence Security or A|D|S, is the trade organisation representing the aerospace, defence, and security industries in the United Kingdom.-Structure:...
(A|D|S), a British aerospace industry organization, to demonstrate civilian and military aircraft to potential customers and investors. Along with the Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
, which is held in odd-numbered years, Farnborough is an important event for the aerospace industry, known particularly for the announcement of new developments and orders.
As of the 2010 edition, the show takes place in five indoor exhibition halls and an outdoor aircraft static display. Demonstration flights and a flying display are held each day of the show. On the last two days, the general public are admitted, and some non-commercial items are added to the static and flying displays. Since 1996, the show has had its own official radio station
Farnborough Airshow Radio
Farnborough International Airshow Radio is the official radio station of the Farnborough International Airshow, and has been part of the airshow's official media outlets for over a decade...
operated by the staff and students of near-by Farnborough College of Technology
Farnborough College of Technology
Farnborough College of Technology, often abbreviated to FCOT or FCT, is a college located in the town of Farnborough, Hampshire in the South East of England...
.
In 2004, the show was attended by more than 1,300 exhibitors and 150,000 trade visitors.
It is held in the same years as the Berlin Air Show (ILA).
History
The Farnborough Airshow has its origins in the annual RAF Airshow at HendonHendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
from 1920 to 1937. On 27 June 1932, the Society of British Aircraft Constructors
Society of British Aircraft Constructors
The Society of British Aerospace Companies, known as SBAC was the UK's national trade association representing companies supplying civil air transport, aerospace defence, homeland security and space...
held an exhibition of 35 aircraft by 16 companies at Hendon as the show-piece for the British aircraft industry. With a break for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the show recommenced at Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
(the site of Handley Page's airfield) in 1946 and was held there until 1948, when the show moved to its present location of Farnborough, Hampshire
Farnborough, Hampshire
-History:Name changes: Ferneberga ; Farnburghe, Farenberg ; Farnborowe, Fremborough, Fameborough .Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence...
, home of the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
in Hampshire, about 30 miles (48.3 km) south-west of central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The headquarters of the UK's principal aerospace firm, BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
, is also in Farnborough.
At the 1958 show, the Black Arrows
Black Arrows
The Black Arrows, one of the predecessors of the current Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, were an aerobatic demonstration team formed in the 1950s from 111 Squadron...
executed a 22-plane formation loop This was a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation, and remains unbroken to this day.
Initially an annual event, Farnborough changed in 1962 to its present biennial format. It also expanded from a British event to an international one that welcomed exhibitors from all over the world — with the exception, during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, of countries behind the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
.
Dates
The most recent airshow was the 47th show, which began on 19 July 2010 and ended on 25 July.See also
- Air showAir showAn air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
- Berlin Air Show
- Paris Air ShowParis Air ShowThe Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
- 1952 Farnborough Airshow DH.110 crash1952 Farnborough Airshow DH.110 crashThe 1952 Farnborough DH.110 crash was an air show accident that killed 29 spectators, the pilot , and the onboard flight test observer when during a manoeuvre, the aircraft broke up due to a faulty wing leading edge design...
- List of airshows