Orbis Showcases Sight-saving Role at Farnborough Airshow

Orbis, a not-for-profit group working to treat and prevent avoidable blindness, is participating in the Farnborough International Airshow as the 2026 event’s official charity partner. The organization is promoting how it uses its Flying Eye Hospital—an adapted MD-10 aircraft—to bring expert care to communities around the world.

The aircraft has an operating theater that provides treatment for conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, trachoma, and trichiasis. Through its Cybersight program, Orbis delivers telemedicine procedures and ophthalmology training supported by around 400 expert medical volunteers from more than 30 countries.

“We are honored to be selected as the official charity partner of the Farnborough International Airshow,” said Rebecca Cronin, CEO of Orbis UK. “This partnership allows us to share our mission with a global audience and build meaningful connections that will help us reach more people around the world in need of eye care.”

You can donate to support the work of Orbis here.

Farnborough International is also supporting the work of the Barrie Wells Trust and its Box4Kids project, which invites seriously ill children to enjoy major events. During the Pioneers of Tomorrow day on Thursday, hundreds of children, carers and volunteers will be hosted at the show, with major aerospace companies, including Embraer, Accenture, ATI, Honeywell and Kallman providing access to chalets, exclusive aircraft tours and meetings with pilots.