Farnborough Air Show 2016
Discussion
silverfoxcc said:
The DH Comet? Not the DH 106 type surely??
Gutted if it was
Nope. They're all grounded now I think, since 'Canopus' went out to grass at Bruntingthorpe. Various plans have been floated to get her back into the air again but she does run as far as I know.Gutted if it was
No, the Comet today was the DH88 Comet 'Grovesnor House'...
...and a lovely display she did too! One of the highlights for me, really, from where I was watching outside the fence.
Jonnny said:
Anyone know anywhere to sit and watch, I've heard Frimley Green rec?
Was taking the missus for a picnic tomorrow - would be nice to watch the planes too!
A few places where locals regularly view the display and picnic...Was taking the missus for a picnic tomorrow - would be nice to watch the planes too!
1) Southwood Pavilion, a local cricket pitch behind the Premier Inn/Monkey Puzzle. Accessed off Ullswater Avenue/Ambleside Close, it's in the middle of an estate. Parking can be a bit on the lean side and you'll not be popular wi' locals if you restrict access by parking poorly. Gets quite busy down there too. You can walk through from Cove Road and Hazel Avenue too, and if you don't mind a stroll there may be parking available alongside Cove Green. You look south toward the runway (out of sight beyond the trees) and are about central to the crowd line.
2) Cove Green. Some tennis courts, a kids play area, a community building of some sort, and some on- and off-street parking. Plus a large playing field. Shops and a pub nearby. It's close to town though, and might well be quite busy.
3) Fleet Spurs playing field. Located near BMW UK HQ, and just up from the Virgin Active gym in Southwood (signed from A327/Summit Avenue IIRC). I was there today, it was very quiet and plenty of room to spread out. I felt that viewing from there was at least as good as that at Southwood Pavilion. There's a Morrisons up the road, and an ice cream van turned up during the afternoon. My wife and I cycled down, grabbed a sandwich meal-deal from Morrisons, and spread a blanket out for the afternoon. Very pleasant it was too, despite some rather grim looking clouds. Quite a few of the larger 'planes (P-8 for example) and the fast jets flew directly overhead, especially when they headed into the circuit to land. Plus a view of the piston engined stuff that tended to take off then hold out over Eelmoor way. Take binoculars if you have them, and a radio too if you can find the freq. for air show radio...
Drawbacks? Restricted view, especially of lower level passes, and you'll see little of anything like the GWDT or the gyrocopter, which display almost entirely within the bounds of the airfield fence and at lower levels.
The other places to watch from are out toward Tweseldown Race Course, but I think they're a good deal further away, almost Farnham really. You can see the whole airfield from Caesar's Camp for instance (you can see London on a clear day!) but everything is just a speck in the distance, and there's no real parking up there that I know of.
Today was my first time at Farnborough, and in fact my first proper airshow aside from seeing a few flypasts and jet demos at other events. I was prepared for it to be constrained following the events last year. I really enjoyed it. I work in airports so am familiar with the slightly difficult looking A380 taking off and landing, but seeing it swoop around the sky today was quite something! Taking a look inside it on the ground the stripped back wiring and systems were just crazy complicated.
The F35 was amazing, and the sound of the afterburner on the Eurofighter was LOUD, and the A400 really very impressive indeed. I can always listen and watch WW2 machinery, even if what they can do now is limited. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
More importantly so did my Dad who's been having a hard time of late, was last at Farnborough about 50 years ago, helped design in the industry then taught Aeronautical Engineering for the rest of his life.
I will not embarrass the aero/photographer crowd with my pathetic attempt at photos on my iphone.. apart from the most impressive bit of kit there...
A softtop as well. I want one a lot (despite even having a garden!)
The F35 was amazing, and the sound of the afterburner on the Eurofighter was LOUD, and the A400 really very impressive indeed. I can always listen and watch WW2 machinery, even if what they can do now is limited. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
More importantly so did my Dad who's been having a hard time of late, was last at Farnborough about 50 years ago, helped design in the industry then taught Aeronautical Engineering for the rest of his life.
I will not embarrass the aero/photographer crowd with my pathetic attempt at photos on my iphone.. apart from the most impressive bit of kit there...
A softtop as well. I want one a lot (despite even having a garden!)
Jonnny said:
Anyone know anywhere to sit and watch, I've heard Frimley Green rec?
Was taking the missus for a picnic tomorrow - would be nice to watch the planes too!
Elles road / Arrow road roundabout is a superb spot right underneath the display - very popular photo location with good all round vis, even has plenty of parking on Marrowbrook lane.Was taking the missus for a picnic tomorrow - would be nice to watch the planes too!
dr_gn said:
Todays was by far the worst flying display I've ever seen live. Absolutely pathetic in terms of participants and content, even by Farnborough standards.
Ditto. Usually go on a Wed/Thursday on trade tickets, really disappointed this time, Airbus where impressive but who wants to see airliners. Nothing interesting at all, no F35! Headed home at 3pm. At least it didn't cost me anything, and I got a free lunch!Edited by megaphone on Monday 18th July 12:39
The flying list wasn't published until the previous afternoon, and we'd had to select our attendance day in advance.
The least they could do is fly some decent stuff every day and have some reserves. Who goes to Farnborough on a trade day to see a "UAV" display consisting of a few amateurs flying model aircraft (one was a flapping wing model bird that looked like something out of Toys r Us), which appeared as dots in the distance, or a solo aerobatic display flown at such a height that most spectators appeared more interested in eating their dinner?
It's embarrassing for the industry, and doesn't do the Farnborough "brand" any good at all IMO.
The least they could do is fly some decent stuff every day and have some reserves. Who goes to Farnborough on a trade day to see a "UAV" display consisting of a few amateurs flying model aircraft (one was a flapping wing model bird that looked like something out of Toys r Us), which appeared as dots in the distance, or a solo aerobatic display flown at such a height that most spectators appeared more interested in eating their dinner?
It's embarrassing for the industry, and doesn't do the Farnborough "brand" any good at all IMO.
They have a feedback section. Maybe you should complain directly to them. I'm thinking of asking about better bicycle parking (i.e,. some rather than none) for next time.
The UAVs have been featured for at least the past three airshows. I agree they aren't the most exciting but they weren't a new thing at teh show.
I generally agree that the flying display was not great - but Farnborough is never that great a flying display.
The UAVs have been featured for at least the past three airshows. I agree they aren't the most exciting but they weren't a new thing at teh show.
I generally agree that the flying display was not great - but Farnborough is never that great a flying display.
Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff