A SPECIAL ON THE SOAPBOX: Shaun Ormrod Farnborough boss

Shaun Ormrod joined the Farnborough International Airshow in April 2008, just prior to that year’s event.  His career has been spent in the events industry arriving from London’s famous Alexandra Palace where he had been General Manager.  His previous appointments include Group Operations Director with NEC and six years as Managing Director of The International Centre, during which time it was awarded Investors in People status and The Events Best Venue UK (in 2004).

Can I welcome you to Farnborough International 2010 which we believe is the finest aerospace exhibition ever staged.  In very simple terms we are hosting over 1,300 exhibitors from 39 countries and 22 international pavilions including for the first time Brazil, China, Morocco and Portugal.  There are eight regional pavilions from the UK.  On display are over 150 aircraft.  It is the world’s largest temporary exhibition covering 247 acres with anticipated attendance of 250,000 visitors from around the globe.  In spite of difficult economic times I am sure we are in for a spate of orders and significant announcements.

We are proud that both Airbus and Boeing have chosen Farnborough for the first overseas display of the A400M and 787 Dreamliner respectively.  These two major airframe projects epitomise what our show is all about.  It is both a military and commercial centre-stage for airframe manufacturers and component suppliers to showpiece both the finished article and those in the process of development.

May I strongly suggest, perhaps in the morning of your visit, that you take time to view the four air conditioned exhibition halls.  I myself took a look around last week as the finishing touches were being applied.  As essentially a newcomer to the industry its shear complexity and originality is truly amazing.  Yes we do host the international industrial giants from around the globe but also represented are tiny suppliers (with equally small booths), vital in the complex chain that leads to the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 and their operations worldwide. 

Can I praise one manufacturer and highlight another.  Congratulations to Viking in resurrecting the Twin Otter after 22 years out of production.  It’s a long flight from Sidney, British Columbia at 180 knots.  And also to Britten-Norman whose Islander was first shown in 1966.

The Farnborough International Airshow 2010 will feature a number of new innovations that we hope will benefit both exhibitors and visitors.  This year, each day has been themed around the core industry sectors for which the event caters with the aim of facilitating better networking and business opportunities.  The themes for each day are Monday – Aerospace, Tuesday – Defence, Wednesday – Space, Thursday – Security and Friday – Futures.

Central to this theming is the A|D|S Conference Programme.  Discussing some of the major issues affecting the industry today, the programme will give a platform for senior figures in industry and government.

Can I remind you that Monday to Thursday is for the trade, with Friday 23rd Enthusiasts Day with an extended flying programme.  The public are welcome on Saturday and Sunday where the air display will again include the Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial jet.

I have to finish with a suggestion.  In 2012 the Farnborough Airshow will start a week early on Monday 9 July.  There is a certain event centred on Stratford East London which would otherwise clash.  However I do recommend getting your booking in early.  Remind your hotelier that you will be back in two years’ time.  The last Olympics in London was in 1948, and before that 1908. 

Shaun Ormrod

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Boeing 20-year forecast

RANDY TINSETH, Boeing Vice President of Marketing, was in London last week to present his company’s (46th) annual commercial passenger and freighter aircraft forecast.  Mr Tinseth and his team foresee a market for 30,900 new commercial passenger and freighter aeroplanes by 2029.  He could not resist the opportunity to have a dig at Airbus for not only their poor forecasting but also perpetual spin.  With Farnborough about to start he noted than in the last five years Boeing has announced 477 Airshow orders, as against 1,261 by Airbus.  However at the same time actual net orders have been more or less equal 4,234 against 4,263 with Seattle slightly in advance.  The impressive presentation is on line and had nearly three quarters of a million visits over the last 12 months.  How many were by Airbus we do not know. www.boeing.com/cmo

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Easter Island flights

LAN AIRLINES will begin services between Lima and Easter Island in January 2011 offering two flights a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.  Easter Island, one of the most inaccessible spots on earth, is famous for its moai monumental statues.  Presently the island is only connected to the South American mainland via Santiago (Chile).  The new routing is far more practical from North America and Europe.  LAN Peru will operate the services using two-class Boeing 767-300s. www.lan.com

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German airlines

LUFTHANSA boss Wolfgang Mayrhuber, not one normally lost for words, in English or German, was left speechless when in the middle of the IATA conference last month Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a one billion euro airline departure levy.  According to a draft law published last week airlines will be taxed according to the distance their passengers travel.  Start date is 1 January.  For shorter trips within the European Union and a number of other countries less then 2,500 kilometres away, the tax is set at €13.  For longer trips, €26.  "We see this tax as a distortion of competition," a spokesman for Air Berlin, Germany's second-biggest airline said.  However the figures are miniscule compared with what airlines using Heathrow and other British airports, will have to add onto the ticket price, premium class passengers having to pay at least twice that levied on economy cabin travellers. www.lufthansa.com

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Hotel group expands

TRAVELODGE, which claims to be the UK's fastest growing budget hotel chain, has announced the largest transaction in the hotel sector since 2008, by acquiring the leases of 52 Innkeeper's Lodges from restaurant and pub operator Mitchells & Butlers.  This deal will boost Travelodge's estate to 452 properties.  The 52 hotels, which include a number of grade ll listed buildings, are all adjacent to Mitchells & Butlers hostelries.  Travelodge will embark on a £10m investment programme to convert the hotels to bring them in line with the Travelodge brand.  It is anticipated that this will take four months. www.travelodge.co.uk

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Magnifica

ALITALIA, or as some would prefer, ‘Alitalia reborn’, has received its first new Airbus A330-200.  The aircraft is configured in a high comfort three-class layout and is the first Alitalia plane to feature the new Premium Economy ‘Classica Plus’ class and a completely updated ‘Magnifica’ Business Class.  Seating 230 passengers with 181 in Economy, 21 in Premium Economy and 28 in Business Class, the aircraft will be deployed on Alitalia’s transatlantic routes.  It is the first of batch of 11 aircraft to be delivered by 2013. www.alitalia.com  

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Transport Committee named

HOUSE OF COMMONS backbenchers have now confirmed membership of its powerful Transport Committee.  They are Louise Ellman – Labour [L]/Co-operative – Liverpool Riverside (Chair, previously holding the post), Angie Bray (Conservative [C] – Ealing Central and Acton, Lilian Greenwood – L, Nottingham South, Tom Harris – L, Glasgow South, Kelvin Hopkins – L, Luton North, Kwasi Kwarteng – C, Spelthorne, John Leech – Liberal Democrat, Manchester Withington, Paul Maynard – C, Blackpool North and Cleveleys, Angela Smith – Penistone and Stocksbridge, Iain Stewart – C, Milton Keynes South, Julian Sturdy – C, York Outer. www.parliament.uk

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ON TOUR: A Farnborough preview

Whether Farnborough, or its Paris equivalent at Le Bourget, is the world’s number one Airshow is really neither here nor there.  They both have their defects, and also very good points.  This time around the gathering south west of Heathrow probably wins the day with the first overseas public appearance of two major aircraft programmes, the Airbus A400M military freighter, and Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

One thing for sure Farnborough has never looked back since its move two shows ago from an early September date to what is now fast becoming the traditional third Monday in July every even year.  The event runs through until Sunday.  Sadly Boeing’s much anticipated Dreamliner is only around until lunchtime Tuesday when it will depart for Seattle, rejoining the high pressure certification programme.  We ought to be thankful that Boeing valued Farnborough so much that the nearly 10,000 mile roundtrip is taking place. 

An Airbus A380 is due to fly each day and the US Air Force will demonstrate a Boeing B-52 on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  It is amazing to think that the original prototype B52 first flew on 15 April 1952 and the last of 744 rolled off the production line in 1962. 

Never failing to thrill is the RAF's Red Arrows display team.  For lovers of classic aircraft, Farnborough promises a feast:  Spitfire, Messerschmitt ME109, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and a return of a 2008 Farnborough star, the only remaining airworthy Avro Vulcan, fully restored to its delta wing Cold War glory.

And, in another first for Farnborough, the organisers have secured agreement to allow unmanned aircraft systems to be demonstrated as a regular part of the display programme.  Taking a real look into the future of military – and even civil – aviation, it is expected that a dedicated UAV display will take place before the start of the flying display.  Depending on the level of interest, the display could run as long as one hour.

Military and commercial mix together in what is very much a two faceted show – military and commercial.  On the defence side, government budgets in North America and Europe are under heavy pressure, but key priorities remain intact.  Do not bet against the Hampshire site hosting more than a little drama in the running battle of words between Boeing and EADS over the looming award of the US Air Force's US$35bn KC-X aerial refuelling tanker contract.  Boeing just about won the war of words after the World Trade Organisation seemed to come down in its favour, but the Airbus division of EADS did not suffer a knockout blow and has come back strongly with a fearsome attack.  They argue that with assembly in the US it is an American aircraft also.

AERBT is however more interested in business travel and this preview highlights that aspect of the show.  Debut aircraft are the Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 and the Viking Twin Otter 400, being revived in turboprop form 22 years after de Havilland Canada ended production of the original classic.  ATR will have on show the latest version of its highly successful regional turboprop the ATR 72-600.  Somewhat upscale Airbus, too, will be making an impact, with an Etihad A330, a A330F freighter and a British Airways A319.  Business jet enthusiasts will not want to miss the Bombardier exhibition.  On display is a Learjet 60XR, Challenger 605 and Global 500, alongside the Canadian airframer's Q400 turboprop and CRJ900 regional jet airliners.  Talks will be of the huge industrial company’s (Bombardier makes trains in Derby) C series aircraft, a serious competitor to the smaller Airbus and Boeings.

Dassault brings elegance in two sizes at Farnborough, its Falcon 2000LX and Falcon 7X.  Cirrus will be showing its SR-22 and SF-50, and an ambitious, six-aircraft display from Hawker Beechcraft ranges from the T6 trainer to the King Air C390GT.  Britten-Norman's Islander appears on the ground and in the flying display, Pilatus will be showing both its turboprops – PC-6 and PC-12.  See also the Antonov An-158 regional jet, a stretched version of the 148, which has been in service with Aerosvit Airlines since this time last year.

While the event is predominantly an aviation industry showcase, there will also be a number of airlines represented at the show including British Airways, Qatar Airways and Thomson Airways. Thomson Airways, part of Tui Travel UK and Ireland will be the UK launch customer for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and will be hosting a media event while the Boeing aircraft is at the show. 

As the Show Director Shaun Ormrod says in ON THE SOAPBOX Farnborough is not just about complete aircraft but is very much about what makes the industry tick.  The four massive display halls offer a plethora of the complex infrastructure of the aerospace industry.  Make time to walk around.

A four-day conference programme is an integral part of this year's show. Taking place over the first four days, the aim is to offer visitors and exhibitors greater focus to their visit and to give them the opportunity to network and discuss key issues affecting aerospace, defence, space and security.

Monday 19 – Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with the day theme of Aerospace.

Tuesday 20 – Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, Secretary of State for Defence with the day theme of Defence.

Wednesday 21 – Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science with the day theme of Space.

Thursday 22 – Rt Hon the Baroness Neville-Jones, Minister of State for Security and Counter-terrorism with the day theme of Security.

Other speakers include European Space Agency Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain, Bombardier Aerospace Chief Operating Officer Guy Hachey, EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois and Finmeccanica UK Chief Executive Alberto di Benedictis.

Futures Day on the Friday is sponsored by Airbus and kicks off a programme aimed at encouraging young people to pursue a career in aerospace.  Highlights include a UK versus USA versus French schools rocketry competition and a Royal Aeronautical Society – Boeing – Light Aircraft Association ‘Build a Plane’ challenge.

Over the two public days, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July, under-16s are once again given free admission courtesy of Rolls-Royce.  Attractions include the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car world land speed record attempt project; the Space Zone; funfair rides and climbing walls; and two flight simulators recreating the experience in the cockpit of a Spitfire and Red Arrows BAE Systems Hawk trainer.

Other spectacles include Team Extreme, the skateboard, BMX and in-line skate display team. 

www.farnborough.com

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