Day 1 – Monday 2nd September

The world’s most prestigious air display began with two very important announcements for the Society of British Aircraft Companies. During the opening ceremony the Rt Hon Michael Heseltine MP, the Deputy Prime Minister, spoke of the confidence to be found in the aviation industry today, and set many minds at rest when he announced that although Farnborough airfield was to be sold, one of the conditions of the sale was that the bi-annual air display was to be allowed to continue, securing the future of this great event.

Another announcement of tremendous impact on the British aircraft industry as a whole was made by the Minister of Defence, Michael Portillo. The British Government has made the decision to invest in the production phase of the Eurofighter EF2000 programme, thus underlining British commitment to this most important combat aircraft. Over 14,000 jobs in the UK alone depend on the future of the programme, with thousands more in the partner countries of Germany, Italy and Spain.

The EF2000 programme has achieved a remarkable number of successes this year, not only has the development team expanded the flight test envelope to allow the Farnborough display to included +6.2G and 20 degree angle of attack manoeuvres, but Friday saw the first flight of DA6, the Spanish prototype of the aircraft. DA6 is the second development aircraft to be powered by the production EJ200 engine, but it is the first two seat trainer version to take to the air. John Turner, pilot of DA2 for the Farnborough display describes his incredible mount as making him “feel like a king”, so powerful and agile a machine is it.

This years show has a large number of aircraft making their debuts at the Hampshire airfield. Not only EF2000, but Su-37, MiG-AT, B-2A and MiG-21MF make up the military contingent of types new to Farnborough. Although the MiG-21 design is about 40 years old, this is the first time the type has displayed at Farnborough. Produced jointly by Aerostar of Romania and Elbit of Israel, the MiG-21MF features an entirely new avionics suite as an upgrade to extend the useful life of the aircraft for existing customers. New commercial aircraft include the Boeing 777, Airbus A319, Tupolev Tu-214 and the Embraer EMB-145. This last aircraft is flown by Captain Luiz Madureira, and gives a remarkable display for a 50 seat regional jet. Not only is the aircraft agile and graceful, it is outstandingly quiet. To watch a jet airliner landing only a few yards away, and hardly be able to hear it is a strange experience indeed.

One of the highlights of the display is the Su-37, the latest version of the awesome Su-27 air superiority fighter. The new aircraft is fitted with vectored thrust exhaust nozzles, as well as the canard foreplanes of the Su-35. This bestows unparalleled manoeuvrability on the fighter, and means it can perform a standing loop. This begins as a cobra, but instead of recovering from the manoeuvre after a 150 degree pitch up, the pilot keeps going, until the aircraft is stationary, pointing backwards. The nose continues to pitch through, driven on by the vectored thrust, and the aircraft resumes its original flight path, having done a complete loop in one aircraft’s length. Unbelievable to watch!

All together, 1996 will be remembered as a vintage Farnborough year, and this is only the first day!