Member News
By Paul Beaver - 19th July 2010
It used to be that Farnborough would only allow previously unseen British-made aeroplanes to be exhibited at the industry’s most important gathering. In recent years, visitors have been lucky to see a new model, let alone a new type.
This year is different. This year is vintage. The world’s two great aeroplane manufacturing houses – Boeing and EADS Airbus – have brought new products to grace the tarmac of the airfield on which Britain’s first powered flight took place just 101 years ago.
The organisers of the Farnborough International Airshow hope to break the record of 2008 with more than 153,000 visitors and delegates. Space and unmanned aerial vehicles, including BAE Systems’ new Tarantis and Mantis, will be shown.
Boeing has decided to make Farnborough the launch pad for the Model 787 Dreamliner. This is a new generation of eco-friendly airliner with a surprisingly high British content. Boeing itself is no stranger to these shores, giving the armed forces the British Army’s Apache, the iconic Chinook helicopter and the C-17 heavy-lift transport as well as investing around $1bn in the UK this year. Boeing will be looking to increase its market share in the airliner business with Dreamliner and several high-profile orders are expected to be announced at the show.
Watch for some surprises from trendsetters Etihad of Abu Dhabi and Emirates of Dubai, as well as the fast-growing independent airlines from Asia. The first British airline to fly the Dreamliner has already been decided. It will be Thomson Airlines.
After some delay the Airbus A400M is not less welcome at the show. This is a European programme which cannot be allowed to fail, but it has no direct competitor and those European nations which have deployable armed forces need it. The Royal Air Force will be receiving itsA400Ms in a year or so and for the British Army, that is not a moment too soon. The A400M moves everything – or just about everything – that is needed in Afghanistan or one of the future scenario hot-spots.
But Farnborough is more than just big, shiny new
aeroplanes, as splendid and important as these are to bring in the punters. This event is the great business-to-business mecca where suppliers can meet their prime contractors.
There will be over 1,350 exhibitors from 40 countries at Farnborough International. The halls and terraced chalets will host tens of thousands of visitors and delegates from the world’s major customers as well as developing nations building their own industries. This year, the organisers expect to see more visitors from Brazil and India than ever before as well as a resurgence in the more traditional markets of North America and Europe. The theme of this B2B effort is called ‘Meet Your Buyer’. In aerospace, defence and security, personal contact and trust are still ‘everything’.
This is also the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The skies over Farnborough will sound to the evocative growl of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines which power the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire, that great icon of 20th century British aerospace achievement.Vintage aeroplanes are still flying at a vintage event.
This year is vintage too because of the support from the coalition government’s
ministers. Vince Cable, Liam Fox and Baroness Neville-Jones
are just three names who will be speaking at the ADS Group conferences at Farnborough. Security, space as well as defence and aerospace are all important sectors for the Farnborough punter.
This political support is most welcome at a time of turmoil and concern with the Strategic Defence and Security Review and the Comprehensive Spending Review coinciding in October. Company executives, particularly small and medium enterprises, have been invited to meet ministers in a planned and scheduled manner.
That is important added value. And, of course, Farnborough is the constituency of new defence minister Gerald Howarth – no mean aviator himself. Politicians are also expected to support the International Youth Day at Farnborough International. A vintage Farnborough, then, and one to savour
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd