The Farnborough International Airshow has been cancelled.
A statement on the Farnborough International Airshow website reads:
“It is with great regret that we announce the Farnborough International Airshow 2020, due to take place in July, is cancelled.
After very careful consideration, the unprecedented impact of the global Coronavirus pandemic has forced this decision in the interests of the health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors, contractors and staff.
This decision was reached taking into consideration several major factors surrounding the outbreak of COVID-19, all of which we have concluded, make it is impossible for us to create and host the Airshow this July.
We understand this news will be an incredible disappointment to all across the international aerospace industry, not to mention our important exhibitors, suppliers and visitors. We at Farnborough International share your disappointment that we are unable to present the Airshow as planned , but rest assured, we are determined to continue to work together and will ensure the Farnborough International Airshow returns in 2022 better than ever.
It’s important to us that we speak directly to anyone who may have concerns about the Airshow’s cancellation; however, we are a small team and it may take a few days for us to make contact. We appreciate your patience, these are incredibly difficult times but we are absolutely committed to maintaining strong relationships.”
Farnborough International Airshow is a trade show for the defence and aviation industries. The organisers announced in 2019 that there will be no public days from 2020 onwards. The show will reduce from 7 to 5 days, dropping the entire weekend section. Instead, they were planning to offer access to the public on Fridays.
As much as I’d have loved this to go ahead it’s a sensible decision.
The show takes months to get put together and it would be pretty much impossible to keep all the construction teams safe.
We’ll see the show again in 2022.
To be fair, I have found it pretty naff for over a decade, so would no longer bother attending unless I stood outside in the street or in the ranges.
Same old participants and rip off entry fees. Most interesting aircraft would be on trade days not the final public weekend.
Luckily I live quite close so can often see the planes overhead, and certainly hear them.
For me, old Mildenhall Air Fete’s that were held yearly were the best.
Hi Daniele, I never did make Mildenhall – but attended Farnborough regularly for about ten years from the mid-80s. It was exciting to make the trip back then, all those prototypes – EAP, the early Rafale, Gripen – and the Russian fast-jets, of course. The outstanding memory, though, was 1988 – when the Fleet Air Arm (remember them!) put on a combined display with Sea Harriers, Sea Kings and the Lynx. A line of six Sea Harriers hovering down the runway is something that my ear drums will never forget! LOL I did attend again a few years ago –… Read more »
Morning Alan. I saw the very thing at Mildenhall in the late 90’s. Several Sea Harrier lined up down the length of the runway at the hover, and then “taking a bow” Wow. Quite something to experience. B2, F117, B1, all the varied USAF aircraft based at Mildenhall, F15’s from Lakenheath, the Jags, Harriers, F3’s and GR4’s of the RAF, French Mirages and Russian Migs. Brilliant. I always liked the Tornado which would “sneak up” low level and fast, wings swept, from the crowds rear or unannounced, for the surprise effect. I was never surprised as I knew it was… Read more »