The Farnborough International Airshow 2018 promises to be among the most innovative and interactive ever, with a focus on technology such as “Aerospace 4.0.” Aircraft such as the new Airbus A220 (the recently rebranded Bombardier C Series) and Embraer E-Jet, Antonov 124 and A330neo will head the commercial line-up while the first British, Royal Air Force F-35 Lighting is expected to fly for the crowds.
With the Space Zone and Cargo Village growing, along with the Innovation Zone, a range of large aerospace companies now have new buildings and locations on-site, including Thales and Leonardo. There will also be more demonstration sessions, some of which will be streamed around the site, on the southern side of TAG Farnborough Airport’s Runway 06-24.
The old Hall 1 has been replaced with an all-new permanent exhibition center and Hall, still known as Hall 1 and approximately the same size and shape, but far more modern and useful to ADS, the UK aerospace trade association that owns Farnborough International Limited (FIL).
The new Hall 1 will remain open all week, including the public weekend, July 21-22. Halls 2, 3, and 4 will be closed on the weekend, but the Innovation Zone will remain open.
An innovative approach to defense product promotion for exhibitors will involve performance company Crisis Cast running a Live Product Demonstration Area (LPDA) in Hall 3, opposite the Delegations Lounge. Exhibitors signed up so far for the LPDA include Bell, Grob, UTC, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, and Leonardo.
Farnborough International Network News (FINN, wearefinn.com) is set to film open-forum sessions in Halls 3 and 4 and play them on screens around the show site. Meanwhile FIL has developed a new Farnborough Airshow App that will allow visitors to easily find companies by their stand numbers, as well as provide information and alerts about events at the show, links to content, and so on.
Meanwhile, acting on feedback from visitors, the organizers have added many more "networking areas," places for people to meet away from the noisy cafes.
Business aviation will be well represented at the show also, with Bombardier, Gulfstream, Dassault, Embraer, Diamond, Piaggio, and Pilatus exhibiting aircraft. Airbus Helicopters, Bell, and Leonardo will display helicopters in the static park too.
Expected to participate in the flying display each afternoon are 2Excel Aviation’s Extra 300L and its Boeing 727; a Dornier 328; a Lockheed Martin F-16; an Airbus A350-1000 and A330neo; an Antonov An-178; Cranfield University’s Jetstream 31; Embraer’s KC-390 airlifter, Embraer-E2 airliner and Legacy 500; the Mitsubishi MRJ (making its show debut); Turkey’s Hurkus basic trainer and T129 ATAK helicopter; and a Boeing 737 Max 7.