TUESDAY DAY TWO
SCROLL DOWN FOR MONDAY DAY ONE
SENIOR BAHRAIN DELEGATION SEAL MAJOR AGREEMENTS AT FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW 2016
Contracts worth over one billion dollars’ are being signed this week between the Kingdom of Bahrain and international companies participating at Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), as part of the programme of a senior level trade delegation from Bahrain attending the show.
Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications Engineer Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, accompanied by Gulf Air CEO Mr Maher Salman Al Musallam and Bahrain Airport Company CEO Mr Mohammed AlBinfalah, will sign contracts with 12 companies including BAE Systems, Qatar Airways, Rolls-Royce, DHL, SERCO, Boeing, Kallman, Lockheed Martin Aircraft Corp and Texel Air who have confirmed their interest in participating in the Bahrain International Airshow 2018, (BIAS) being held November 14-16 2018.
In addition a US$2.5m contract between the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and Farnborough International, appointing the latter as event organizer for the next two editions of the Bahrain International Airshow.
This continues the ongoing partnership which started with the first Bahrain airshow in 2010.
The BLOODHOUND Project teams up with CargoLogicAir for its World Land Speed Record attempt in South Africa
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Airbus A320neos |
German airline Germania on Tuesday ordered 25 single-aisle fuel-efficient Airbus A320neos worth $2.6 billion (2.4 billion euros) at list price it was announced at the Farnborough International air show. The order, fset or delivery from 2020 onwards, doubles the Germania Group's current fleet of aircraft.
Germania, based in Berlin and one of Germany’s longest-established airlines, has selected Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower Geared Turbofan (GTF) engines to power its fleet of up to 40 A320neo aircraft.
FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW DAILY ROUNDUP : THE HEAVENS OPENED.... AIR DISPLAY & MEDIA RAINED OFF AND OUTTA HERE!
OPENING DAY MONDAY (TRADE SHOW DAY) starring WET, WET, WET..... and more
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Digital Era may have just begun but in England you cannot beat an old fashioned brolly! Farnborough International Airshow. More downpours forecast for Tuesday... |
Julian Bray writes: Millions of worldwide overseas television and radio audiences, thousands of trade day air show visitors, hundreds of exhibitors and the local population generally may be puzzled by the lack of wall-to-wall television reports from the first day of Farnborough International Airshow 2016.
They may think is all down to the UKs sudden and wholly unexpected Coronation of Home Secretary of Theresa May as the UKs new Prime Minister. But that is only part of the story. Mrs May takes up her new role, along with a newly reshuffled Government on WEDNESDAY this week! The UK out of the European Project and aggressively after world markets and trade, is likely to be quickly ramped up - and the financial markets are clearly liking what they are hearing.
We'd STRONGLY advise Mrs May to make a flying trip to Farnborough, where the worlds media is already assembled and to set out her stall on worldwide trade. What better audience?
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"Where do I go from here?" muses David Cameron at Farnborough Air Show, just a few hours before announcing Theresa May MP will be the new UK Prime Minister from Wednesday.... |
Then another major spanner in the celestial works. What can only be describes as a downpour of 'monsoon' or 'tropical' proportions pounded the exhibition site, and the static display areas - sadly more 'downpours' forecast for Tuesday - it just went on, and on.
Immediately the Aggreko supplied generator power failed as temporary power lines, lay under 8 inch deep lakes of surface water. It started just an hour into the afternoon flying display, and then as the press conferences were ongoing, against an increasing drumbeat of the now torrential rain on the canvas roof of the temporary two storey buildings, media centre, and exhibition halls.
To seriously compound issues, over enthusiastic show security staff (and a lack of Media Centre staff) decided the main Press & Media centre had (and I use the exact words) :"There is an immediate evacuation of the building, you all have to leave NOW" after a bit of prodding it was established that no terror threat existed, but a perceived threat from flooding certainly did, but two floors up ???
Journalists and broadcasters also had to show a current passport, to enter two of the main press conferences, clearly in these troubled times press accreditation is no longer sufficient. Several were denied entry. I'll not be naming them.
To add insult to injury a line of empty 'Pratt & Whitney' hospitality transit buggies with bored drivers, refused to assist with the media evacuation towards Gate F (STILL ABOVE WATER!)Their hospitality clients long gone .....
The zeal of the Air show security staff in rapidly clearing the media centre, - power or no power - effectively stopped the worldwide television images from being uploaded and transmitted, and cancelled Live radio broadcasts (my own series of live radio spots had to be canned, as I was by then in a car static in Gate 5 exit traffic) is something Paul Everitt, CEO, ADS Group (who own Farnborough International Ltd might like to seriously consider as the media centre is under resourced (less café round tables, and more lines of rectangular work tables and chairs ie substantially extend MEDIA ROOM)
Just as the 'evacuation' started much of the television footage shot earlier by dozens of international teams was being uploaded to satellites by 4K. And had the security people just left the media alone for another hour, then as most carry their own battery power and 4K uplink 'began' kits. The essential uplinking task could have been completed, and world audiences given a better picture of the substantial international business being transacted and astonishing new developments being released.
For those baffled by technology 4K format offers four times the pixels of HDTV, plus better colour, manufacturers are building 4K resolution into smaller sets, currently down to about 40 inches. The format is also available on laptops and desktop monitors. (The nearest ideal -strongest- uplink to Farnborough, is in the town next to the BP filling station)
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Carol Vorderman (seated on right) daring an F35 to poke its nose into the Marshalls maintained Hercules. What is she like? |
I'd like to personally thank the two Air Force cadets who helped this broadcaster lug his heavy transmission kit up several flights of stairs. NO LIFTS, FEW RAMPS. I promised I'd put in a good word with aviator Carol Vorderman (Twitter @carolvorders) last seen over the weekend at RAIT sitting on the open cargo deck of a Hercules at 15,000 ft enticing a following F35 to come a little closer. Cadets, consider it done and thanks....
A word for any disabled journalists, this is not a disability friendly site, the only chair/ person lift to the Media Centre, is through the Lockheed closed access area, (your names' not on the list mentality) but 'earnest' negotiation with an uncomprehending G4S security guard finally worked. It also greatly helps if the lift power is actually turned at the main switchboard, rather than having to get a passing caterer to ring his boss, and so on....
WHAT THE WORLD MISSED:
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Bearded person, Member of The Magic Circle, delighted at finally getting an upgrade, extra legroom and two thumbtips that work, plus a superb new fleet of A350 1000's... |
Virgin Atlantic to feature the Airbus A350 -1000 as its latest addition to the fleet. some twelve in all of the largest variant in the series offered by Airbus. 8 purchased and deliveries from 2019, 4 on long term ALC leases from 2020 plus a possible extra lease option for number 5.
Before the downpour and subsequent flying display cancellation, the world also missed the astonishing ultra slow nose up 'stall position' exceptionally low noise flyby of the latest Airbus A350 'fly-by-wire, which still drew gasps from the watching hardened media crew.
Whilst the weather gods were smiling, Bombardier also managed a couple of demonstration circuits with its impressively hushed CS100 due to enter revenue service with SWISS International Air Lines on July 15th. Its larger CS300 (100-150 seats) meanwhile was earlier in the day awarded Type Certification by Transport Canada.
The first C300 set for delivery to Latvian airBaltic later this year.
The series opens up routes that would otherwise be unprofitable using wide bodied aircraft. 18 per cent lower costs per passenger, larger seats, single aisle, bigger windows, enhanced overhead bins, 99 per cent commonality in aircraft parts fro the C100 and C300 again super hushed, reduced fuel burn, much reduced noise and fewer emissions...
Also from Canada Esterline Avionics Systems in a flurry of new business wins, announced a ground breaking contract for advanced cockpit avionics for the Royal Australian Airforce. Contracts such as these are important, as now the UK is rapidly - under its new PM Theresa May - throwing off the restricted trade shackles imposed by the EU over a 40 plus year period; new world markets are opened to be tackled just as the Canadians have always successfully done.
Turkey much in the news lately, for all the wrong reasons, has an interesting Turkish Regional Aircraft Project known as TRJET. Essentially the partners are developing the first new-generation sub 50-seater. Meanwhile we missed due to the abandonment of the flying display a Dornier 328jet in the livery of German operator PRIVATE WINGS, but it is scheduled for the Tuesday display, again the remarkable low noise levels expected. The trade show picks up again on Tuesday after construction and pumping teams work overnight to mitigate the damage caused by 'an act of God'
Depressingly a MetOffice YELLOW WARNING for RAIN is in force but there again it always rains near Wimbledon fortnight!
To be continued, bookmark and come back often.
JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581 Aerospace & Incident Management Expert, Journalist & Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 www.aviationcomment.com
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