Proud to be a leader at Farnborough
Airbus and the Farnborough International Air Show – the shop window to what’s new in the aerospace industry – are synonymous with innovation.
Every two years, Farnborough is the place to be seen. That’s why Airbus is among 1,000 exhibitors from 38 countries displaying their products and services at what many claim is the world’s biggest air show.
Airbus and its British predecessor, the Bristol Aeroplane Company – which was founded 100 years ago by Sir George White in 1910, have a proud pedigree of showcasing their latest ground-breaking aircraft at the Hampshire airfield west of London.
This year, an estimated 180,000 visitors from around the world will see the A380, the A400M, which is making its UK debut, and other Airbus aircraft in the air or in the static display area.
In 1949, the mighty Bristol Brabazon was the biggest airplane flying. Powered by eight 2,360shp piston engines geared in pairs to drive four sets of contra-rotating propellers, the aircraft made a brief appearance at Farnborough and displayed again the following year for closer inspection.
Between the Farnborough shows of 1968 and 1970, one of the most icon aircraft of all time burst onto the world stage. The two Concorde prototypes – one French and one British – heralded a new era of supersonic travel. The British-built Concorde 002, registered G-BSST, gave its first public display at the 27th Farnborough and stole the show.
In 1974, Airbus made its first appearance at Farnborough with the A300 flying each day in the display. Henri Ziegler, president and chief executive of the company, and Friedrich Feye, senior vice-president, led the team from Airbus Industrie.
Since then, a succession of revolutionary aircraft from the Airbus stable have provided aviation copywriters with headline material. In 1982, the A310 gave demonstration flights, while scale models of the A300, A300-600, the A310 and the new A320 were displayed on the Airbus stand. Also revealed were plans for two wide-body projects, the A330 and A340, under the projects names TA9 and TA11.
A model of the A340 was displayed for the first time at the 1988 show along with a life-size model of the A320 “fly-by-wire” controls to enable comparison with the A310’s mechanical cable and pulley controls.
The A340, which made its first flight in 1991, appeared at Farnborough International ’92 and again in 1994 along with the A330, the A321 and the A300-600 Freighter in the static display.
The show-stopper at the 2006 show was undoubtedly the first appearance in the UK of A380 MSN001.
This year, the A380 continues to be a star attraction along with the A400M’s dazzling flying display.
Airbus continues to demonstrate innovation and make history at the showplace of British aviation.
