Crowd size

[DamienB]

Watching the show on Youtube courtesy PlanesTV and the Sunday afternoon crowd seems a bit thin... gaps right at the fence line and lots of empty space to sit down and have a picnic on. When I did the show on a public day inside it was always absolutely heaving. The crowd on the high ground at the end of the runway appears to be much larger than usual though.

Have Farnborough priced themselves into a huge drop in attendance?

[Thumper]

I think you might be right there DamienB. It does look very thin with plenty of spaces at the front and hardly "deep" at all. I was absolutely packed in like a sardine in 2012, I literally couldn't go anywhere, was wedged in right at the front with about 20 people deep behind me and I wasn't at the centre either! Perhaps the cancellations, iffy weather and prices put together has done it, that's certainly what did it for me anyway.

[Brevet Cable]

If you think that's thin , you should've seen the Eastern end on the Saturday at RIAT.

Can you buy tickets at the gate , or is it the same as RIAT ( wondering if the bad weather forecast may have put people off ) ??

[Reds Rolling]

Worth noting that the camera is down the far left end of the display line where it's usually more sparse anyway, but you've got to think that the price may have had an effect.

I've been a regular at Farnborough for years, but even I wouldn't pay £45 for a ticket this time.

[LN Strike Eagle]

There were some bits that I was quite keen to see - Harrier most notably, but the weekend iffy forecasts and more importantly, the huge £48 gate price convinced me otherwise.

Mark Jefferies Extra 300 is the single best aerobatic display I have ever seen, and the Aerostars are a super display team too, but I expect something a bit more for a £48 ticket. Way, way too much lightweight filler in that display schedule for the ticket price they're asking. Also take into consideration the height and distance at which things fly, which was apparent from the PTV coverage.

No wonder everyone blags themselves "bogus mediar" access to this show - it's not worth half that ticket price.

[AARDVARK]

There were some bits that I was quite keen to see - Harrier most notably, but the weekend iffy forecasts and more importantly, the huge £48 gate price convinced me otherwise.

Mark Jefferies Extra 300 is the single best aerobatic display I have ever seen, and the Aerostars are a super display team too, but I expect something a bit more for a £48 ticket. Way, way too much lightweight filler in that display schedule for the ticket price they're asking. Also take into consideration the height and distance at which things fly, which was apparent from the PTV coverage.

No wonder everyone blags themselves "bogus mediar" access to this show - it's not worth half that ticket price.

Have to agree with the height and distance comment, it's crazy just hoe far away the displays are..I went into the show Friday(£32) and then up on the hill yesterday and from there you can see the display line clearly marked out and most acts were displaying a long way from that line,they were miles away and very high, it's a shame as the organisers did try to actually put on a credible show this year and get some interesting items,but for £45 I would have expected the likes of the Draken and Viggen to be in the flying display!!

[frank]

I think the crowd is now spread over 3 days rather than two
Friday was very busy
Wouldnt be suprised to see overall numbers the same but spread more evenly

[UKTopgun]

Did anyone commenting on crowd size actually go on Sun? Hard to judge from a video stream. I went on Sun and can tell you it was heaving. Amazing how FI attracts punters in vast numbers because of the name. Crowd was 95 percent Joe public. People seem willing to pay big at Farnborough for a decidedly average show!

[wv383]

Down at the western end, where the filming was taking place the crowd was fairly thin on Sunday. However, that end was beyond where the Vulcan was parked and was way beyond display centre. For those who know the airfield it was on a level with the TAG maintenance hangars and right next to where the helicopter pleasure flights were taking place. To the east of that area and beyond the grandstands and hospitality area, there wasn't an inch of grass, tarmac or concrete to be had. It was heaving and almost impossible to move around from there as far as the other end of the runway.

[pbeardmore]

Did anyone commenting on crowd size actually go on Sun? Hard to judge from a video stream. I went on Sun and can tell you it was heaving. Amazing how FI attracts punters in vast numbers because of the name. Crowd was 95 percent Joe public. People seem willing to pay big at Farnborough for a decidedly average show!

I have a friend who is not an airshow fan but always goes to Farnborough. I think it's like Wimbledon, it trades on its name and heritage when there are other venues that offer different experiences but jo public go for the big event

[Rampvan]

There were some bits that I was quite keen to see - Harrier most notably, but the weekend iffy forecasts and more importantly, the huge £48 gate price convinced me otherwise.

Mark Jefferies Extra 300 is the single best aerobatic display I have ever seen, and the Aerostars are a super display team too, but I expect something a bit more for a £48 ticket. Way, way too much lightweight filler in that display schedule for the ticket price they're asking. Also take into consideration the height and distance at which things fly, which was apparent from the PTV coverage.

No wonder everyone blags themselves "bogus mediar" access to this show - it's not worth half that ticket price.

Have to agree with the height and distance comment, it's crazy just hoe far away the displays are..I went into the show Friday(£32) and then up on the hill yesterday and from there you can see the display line clearly marked out and most acts were displaying a long way from that line,they were miles away and very high, it's a shame as the organisers did try to actually put on a credible show this year and get some interesting items,but for £45 I would have expected the likes of the Draken and Viggen to be in the flying display!!

Whilst its called the "display line" in effect its the line that cant be crossed (except light aircraft and helicopters)....there is nothing to say the pilots have to display along it!

[effects]

There were some bits that I was quite keen to see - Harrier most notably, but the weekend iffy forecasts and more importantly, the huge £48 gate price convinced me otherwise.

Mark Jefferies Extra 300 is the single best aerobatic display I have ever seen, and the Aerostars are a super display team too, but I expect something a bit more for a £48 ticket. Way, way too much lightweight filler in that display schedule for the ticket price they're asking. Also take into consideration the height and distance at which things fly, which was apparent from the PTV coverage.

No wonder everyone blags themselves "bogus mediar" access to this show - it's not worth half that ticket price.

Have to agree with the height and distance comment, it's crazy just hoe far away the displays are..I went into the show Friday(£32) and then up on the hill yesterday and from there you can see the display line clearly marked out and most acts were displaying a long way from that line,they were miles away and very high, it's a shame as the organisers did try to actually put on a credible show this year and get some interesting items,but for £45 I would have expected the likes of the Draken and Viggen to be in the flying display!!

Whilst its called the "display line" in effect its the line that cant be crossed (except light aircraft and helicopters)....there is nothing to say the pilots have to display along it!

It would be nice if people read the CAP, FIA regs and relevant MAA stuff, the 230m line is a 'do not cross' not a 'you must display here', there are also 450m and 100m markers again all do not cross.

[st24]

According to the official twitter feed, they were very pleased with "an incredible 80,000 people over the weekend" Compared to years gone by that's a pretty feeble amount in my book. What with RIAT having a pretty low turn out too (again compared to previous) are the big shows quite content with lower ticket sales these days even though outgoings are surely higher?