In the run-up to Farnborough, there had been fears that new CAA regulations regarding air displays introduced following the Shoreham tragedy last year (in which a Hawker Hunter crashed, with several fatalities) would severely mute this year’s flying display. However, thanks to Farnborough’s already stringent regulations, changes to the display will be minor, and visitors will continue to enjoy a spectacular air show, as in previous years.
That’s the view of John Turner, Farnborough’s flying display director, who explained the regulations and changes to AIN. “The event at Shoreham led to regulation changes that put more focus on third parties—those who live outside the airfield, those who are driving past, and—at Farnborough—even people in canal boats. The risk to the crowd was also looked at again. The principles behind the new regulations are absolutely sound, but the challenge has been to implement a rule-set that has not been tested in practice.”
To begin with, Turner and his team looked at the measures already in place, over and above the previous CAA regulations. The airshow already has an independent safety audit team that examines the display and aircraft movements from a number of aspects, including the display routines, air traffic control and maintenance management. The team reviews documentation and undertakes risk and safety assessments, clearing much groundwork before any flying takes place.
Farnborough then insists on validation for each display, having first agreed with the pilot(s) on the routine, checking also that it meets regulations. Every display, whether it is a practice or validation, is monitored using an electro-optical sensor supplied by QinetiQ. This provides the flight control committee with a highly accurate plot of the aircraft’s track and altitude, eliminating any uncertainty during debrief. The committee itself is made up of test pilots, senior pilots and display supervisors. Having such a high-level committee is particularly important for credibility at Farnborough, where many of the display crew are test pilots themselves.
Another safety regulation already in place is what is known as the “Farnborough bowl,” a reference to instructions that display routines are devised so that aircraft climb away from the airfield and descend toward it.
In the light of the new CAA regulations, and the need to further address the issue of third parties and the local population, Farnborough has introduced a set aerobatic area that includes portions of the airfield and Ministry of Defence land to the west. To safeguard spectators that may want to watch from outside the airfield boundary, some roads and the canal are closed during the display. Warning notices have been issued to those who may venture onto the MoD lands so that they are fully apprised of potential risks.
Away from the aerobatic area, display participants are expected to comply with the standard Air Navigation Order that covers flight anywhere, such as no maneuvering beyond 90-degree bank, and altitude restrictions over congested areas. For the large aircraft displaying at Farnborough, this implies that they can continue to perform similar routines to previous years, while fast-jet aerobatics can still perform their full routines, just further to the west and with wider landing patterns.
Farnborough’s new regulations have been in development since February, with display pilots being given advance notice of what form they were likely to take. CAA approval was received around two weeks before the show started. “What we are seeing from validation, it’s working really well,” reported Turner.
One routine that is sure to draw a lot of attention is that of the Lockheed Martin F-35B, which includes a hovering segment. Asked whether the F-35 display posed any unique challenges for the air show, Turner replied that, “For us it’s just another new aircraft…and that’s something we do really well!”