FIA18 REVIEW

REVIEW TIME

21st July 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.

**Breakdown** 1) Overview - what to expect and thanks 2) Static Display Review - The thoughts on the display 3) Flying Display - A look at what we saw in the skies 4) Summary - Analyze the overall show.

1) Overview...

The Farnborough International Airshow took place last week starting on the 16th running right through to the 22nd. It was a great success at the trade week with companies making massive deals in the opening few days.We visited the airshow in Hampshire on the 21st. We have to say a massive thanks to National Holiday for organizing our transport, Accommodation and the entire trip. We will be travelling with them to our next airshow Cosford 2019 and RIAT 2019. The following review is my own view on the event. The following contains a detailed review of Saturdays Airshow.

2) Static Display Review... We were greeted with a mix of commercial and military aircraft on display.The public weekend saw a beautifully painted A380 graze the apron at FIA. That was in the form of a ex- Singapore aircraft now operated by the Portugal based company HiFly. Weather you like Jets , Helicopters or the big boys you had something to look at and photograph. Including the Children's Air Ambulance which is evidence why aviation is so important in the 21st century. The USAF added some size and class to the showground. Size came in the form of 2 C-130 Hercules and a C-17 from Dover Air Base. Class was added by the "Avgeeks" favorite of course the wokka wokka or to give its proper name the Chinook. The Bronco Demo Team was adding the colour to the static area. The Aircraft is one of my all time favorites due to its fitting tribute to those lost in the war. Its a gentle reminder to always remember "Lest We Forget". Back to the commercial side of the show and the Ukrainian Aircraft manufacturer Antonov had its latest model on display near the retail area. The An-178 took its first flight back in 2015 but this aircraft is the little brother of the An-124 and of course the An-225 which are cargo giants of the skies. Antonov has a great pedigree of fantastic heavy lifters. The RAF Red Arrows were parked within touching distance on the flightline giving fans of all ages the opportunity to talk and take selfies with there heroes of the skies.... of course the Blues and Reds. Overall we loved the static display it had it all from front-line fighters to long haul jets.

Best Aircraft on Static - The C-130 Hercules (Wyoming) Best Livery on static - HiFly A380 - Coral Reefs livery Static Display Rating - (8/10)

3) Flying Display Reviews...

Saturday saw a variety of aircraft buzzing about the skies of Hampshire, Starting with a graceful display from the BBMF. The Lancaster, Spitfire and hurricane flew from left to right down the flightline to open the show. Then followed a interesting Demo from the Red Bull Air Race which showcased the sheer class of the pilots to fly through a 30 gate course.The Noise came in the form of the PACAF Viper Demo Team and the beautiful F-16. After the PACAF team had been plagued with problems for most of the week , The pilot made up for lost flying time with 2 fantastic display on saturday. Well done and thank you for flying at FIA. The Spanish should be known as the noisy neighbours after the Spanish Navy Harrier displayed. The old girl kicks out some noise as it buzzed past time after time. The most exiting element of the display is the "Hover" when the Aircraft uses its capabilities to its full potential over the runway. A look at the past came in the form of the The Great War Display Team with its dog fight scenarios. The Flying Bulls filled the sky with history ,speed and a little bit of colour. The DC-6 is a old girl but is no means not elegant. She sliced through the skies with a beautifully painted alpha jet on the flank. Lets not forget the rare visit of the Bristol Sycamore, Its the only flying example of this British built helicopter. The Aviation Manufacturer Airbus had the biggest aircraft in the display this year. The A350-1000 buzzed around the Hampshire skies effortlessly and to admit rather quite compared to its predecessors. The Doncaster based Boeing 727 which operates for Oil Spill Response Limited was the last 727 to be built and was previously owned by non other than the cargo carrier FedEx. The Boeing aircraft flew in formation with The Blades, then the 727 did its unique display over the airport. Including demonstrating its oil spill response capability by spraying water from the rear of aircraft.

Overall it was fun packed afternoon filled with lots of variety in terms of aircraft. Highlights included the F-16,Harrier and Airbus A350-1000. The only down side would be a few large caps in the display action but this was quickly forgotten when the action got back underway.

Best Aircraft Flying - Spanish Navy Harrier Best Livery Flying - A350-1000 (Carbon) Flying Display Rating - (8/10)

4) Summary...

The overall day was great i would recommend FIA to any aviation enthusiast but you need to remember displays are and always will be based around the trade show. Well organised from my point of view. We entered at entrance B and security moved very quickly. The flying display was filled with variety but lacked some aircraft in the show such as the Typhoon or a full Red Arrows display. But safety comes first which is most important. However we both really happy with the static and flying displays mainly due to seeing some rare birds like the Harrier and the DC-6.

Thanks for reading our views on the - Farnborough International Airshow 2018

Reviews by - James and Kian at Miles to go - Aviation Blogging