Getting off to a flying start

Well, the buzz this year takes place inside the halls with the launch of the Airshow’s new Aerospace 4.0 feature. Under the banner of ‘The future starts here’, Farnborough Airshow organiser, Farnborough International Limited (FIL) says that Aerospace 4.0 will enable the aerospace industry to look at the new innovations fuelling Industry 4.0 with the hope being that it will help drive through a digital mindset into the sector. Within the Aerospace 4.0 feature, technologies such as automation, additive manufacturing, simulation, virtual and augmented reality and digitalisation will be scrutinised.

This year’s event will also herald the debut of the new permanent Hall 1, which can be seen by some as a metaphor for aviation’s New Jerusalem and for FIL, a huge investment in the infrastructure of the site and the future of the Airshow at Farnborough as a whole.

After the 2016 event was brought to a premature close on the opening day by some bonkers inclement weather, FIL has decided enough is enough. Once again, we’ll be able to walk around the Airshow’s busy aisles and find at its very heart, a band of committed individuals, companies and organisations attending, exhibiting and entertaining for the sole purpose of meeting people, forming partnerships and doing business - whatever the weather!

I couldn’t agree more with the words of FIL’s commercial director, Amanda Stainer (interviewed this issue, page 104), who wants Airshow visitors to think to themselves: ‘Wow! I saw that first here at the Farnborough Airshow’. On behalf of Aerospace Manufacturing magazine, I look forward to seeing you at the show.

Mike Richardson, editor