The Civil and Military Aircraft
When you arrive at Farnborough for the public openings on the Saturday and Sunday, most of the trading has been completed and it's now time to show off. Over 150,000 people visit over the weekend and you can amble amongst the planes and helicopters, civil and military alike.
It's particularly impressive to get so close to everything and seeing real Chinooks, Eurofighters, F15s, F16s, F18s is amazing. In addition, this year Airbus was showing the new 340 and 380 - the new double-decker plane is huge. We then got a take-off, display and landing. The display was really outstanding as the test pilots manoeuvred the plane so gently that at times it appeared almost stationary. Quite something to see.
The one thing I can't do is describe the sounds - it's LOUD! You have to be there to experience the contrast between the civilian aircraft where noise is being reduced to the military where the boom and speed are heard at full throttle. Brilliant ...
And no airshow would be complete without the Battle of Britain display of the Lancaster, the Spitfires and the Hurricanes ... winding the clock back shows how far the planes have come but how important they were.
It's particularly impressive to get so close to everything and seeing real Chinooks, Eurofighters, F15s, F16s, F18s is amazing. In addition, this year Airbus was showing the new 340 and 380 - the new double-decker plane is huge. We then got a take-off, display and landing. The display was really outstanding as the test pilots manoeuvred the plane so gently that at times it appeared almost stationary. Quite something to see.
The one thing I can't do is describe the sounds - it's LOUD! You have to be there to experience the contrast between the civilian aircraft where noise is being reduced to the military where the boom and speed are heard at full throttle. Brilliant ...
And no airshow would be complete without the Battle of Britain display of the Lancaster, the Spitfires and the Hurricanes ... winding the clock back shows how far the planes have come but how important they were.
The Red Arrows
Each time I see the Red Arrows perform, I'm quite simply amazed. Their skills and the performance they put on is simply breath-taking especially the close fly-bys. Some of the complex moves are aided by the coloured smoke from the tail of the planes which just adds to the spectacle.
Overall, each display I've seen has left me with great memories - the "oohs" and "aaahhs" of each person on the ground is matched by the speed and air-gymnastics of the planes.
The display at Farnborough definitely was a crowd-pleaser this year ...
Overall, each display I've seen has left me with great memories - the "oohs" and "aaahhs" of each person on the ground is matched by the speed and air-gymnastics of the planes.
The display at Farnborough definitely was a crowd-pleaser this year ...