Farnborough future?

All the chat about the bi-annual spectacular
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André
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Joined: Sun 07 Dec 2008, 8:08 pm

Farnborough future?

Post by André »

Just wondering why this event is stretched over a whole week while the actuall important stuff takes place on the Monday and Tuesday? It was my first visit to Farnborough and I was not impressed by what I saw on Friday and Saturday. Although we had tickets for the Sunday as well, we didn't bother to go in again. The entrance fees were too high for what was just an average show. Kudos for Airbus keeping the A-380 in during the weekend but the rest just was average airshow material. Red Arrows, Lancaster, Vulcan, F-16, Battle of Britain, etc are to be viewed at many other UK (and European) shows as well.

Wouldn't it be wise to make this airshow a little more compact so that everyone is able to see the actual highlights like F-22, B-787, AT-6B, T-6C, CN-295, Sukhoi Superjet 100, A-400, etc, etc. ? Lets say start on Thursday and Friday for trading, and a public airshow during the weekend?

This year the Air Tattoo show visitors saw more Farnborough related planes than the actual airshow visitors between 22 and 24 July........
Comes to mind that the Air Tattoo saw the F-22, A-400, T-6C, Superjet 100 for at last 2 days or more.

Maybe merge both shows every 2nd year? Although RIAT caught some flak over the years, all entrance fees end up in the a RAF charity fund.
With ongoing budget cuts in all armed forces, a merge of both shows could work well in the future.

Just my 2 cents.

André Jans

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Petedcollins
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Joined: Sun 31 Aug 2008, 8:45 pm

Re: Farnborough future?

Post by Petedcollins »

I have to agree, I dont think there was anything exceptional there, I was there with a good friend of mine and we both enjoyed the day, however bar the F18 and the loaded up Tiffie i cant think of anything that we cant see elsewhere.

Next time its RIAT for me and no farnbrough, not unless they confirm well in advance that there will be some show stoppers displaying during the public days.

Failing that i may go the Monday next time...

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effects
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Re: Farnborough future?

Post by effects »

Farnborough is a trade show, to that end they do not want 'the great un-washed' miiling around trying to get gizits when people are doing business.
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farnboroughrob
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Re: Farnborough future?

Post by farnboroughrob »

Of course the way around this is to have all aircraft in by Friday, have Sat/Sun as public days and then Mon-Wed as trade days including the flying pigs! Paris used to do this and indeed the Sunday before the Farnborough shows was press day(no flying though) years ago. I just feel the public days are a bit of an embarassment to the organizers. It almost feel like they are hoping for a Fairford style weekend washout so they can cut the public days.

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phreakf4
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Joined: Mon 01 Sep 2008, 9:42 pm

Re: Farnborough future?

Post by phreakf4 »

farnboroughrob wrote:Of course the way around this is to have all aircraft in by Friday, have Sat/Sun as public days and then Mon-Wed as trade days including the flying pigs! Paris used to do this and indeed the Sunday before the Farnborough shows was press day(no flying though) years ago. I just feel the public days are a bit of an embarassment to the organizers. It almost feel like they are hoping for a Fairford style weekend washout so they can cut the public days.


Go back afew more years (1960s/70s and into the '80s) and the Saturday before the official trade days saw a full flying display rehearsal and the Sunday was "Press Day" (before the term "Media" came into general use) again with a full display, then the trade days were held and very few of the participants left before the Friday "Public Premiere Day", this then being followed by the two Public Days with very little difference in the flying displays for the different days.

I spent many happy Saturdays and Sundays up by the "Swan" public house when one could go far enough down the road towards the airfield gate to stand directly under the landing aircraft if one wished, with no "corporate security" to be seen.

Great days, which unfortunately will never come again.

This was when the aviation industry was still largely run by people with a passion for aviation rather than, as everything now is, by hard-nosed accountants.
nothing is confirmed at a show until its u/c hits the tarmac or it is running in for its display.....

André
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Joined: Sun 07 Dec 2008, 8:08 pm

Re: Farnborough future?

Post by André »

I sent my feedback to the show organisation. Not sure if it makes a difference but at least it should be expressed to involved people.

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Eelmoor
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Re: Farnborough future?

Post by Eelmoor »

effects wrote:Farnborough is a trade show, to that end they do not want 'the great un-washed' miiling around trying to get gizits when people are doing business.



mmmmm Gizits ! :cool:
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