What you need to know
Getting there
By air
A heliport operates daily at Farnborough during exhibition week between 07.30 and 19.00. For landing slot bookings and helicopter charter enquiries, contact Glenn Curtis or Sharon Douglas at Elite Helicopters & Aviation Services, tel: +44 (0) 1628 828188, fax: +44 (0) 1628 828122.E-mail: ops@elitehelicopters.co.uk
By rail
There are up to three trains an hour from London Waterloo at peak time, Monday to Saturday, and one train an hour on Sundays to Farnborough Main. Direct services take around 30min. The Railair link from Heathrow Airport connects with Woking, and a fast train service to Farnborough Main - journey time is around 60min. Trains also depart from Gatwick Airport via Guildford, Woking or Clapham Junction. Allow 70min for the journey. Services from Gatwick Airport also run to North Camp station, taking on average 52min. Two trains every hour to Farnborough Main leave Southampton Airport (Parkway) station, arriving around 45min after departure.
South West Trains has a combined rail and admission ticket, with a £3 saving, on public days (27-28 July). This includes rail travel to either Farnborough Main or Aldershot, and £19 ($28) admission ticket (normal price £22). The shuttle bus between the station and the show is free on public days. Tickets can be purchased at any staffed South West Trains station. All staffed Thames Trains stations are offering a similar ticket to North Camp station.
On trade days (22-26 July), South West Trains is offering a £3.50 bus shuttle to take passengers from the station to the show. This is available to those travelling to Farnborough Main or Aldershot stations, or to North Camp with Thames Trains. Thames Trains North Downs Line links Reading with Guildford and Gatwick Airport. North Camp Station has ramped wheelchair access. Inclusive tickets are available at any staffed Thames Trains station. Information: Thames Trains, tel: 0845 330 7182, National Rail Enquiries, tel: + 44 (0) 8457 48 49 50, South West Trains Customer Service Centre, tel: 0845 6000 650. Internet: www.railtrack.co.uk; www.southwesttrains.co.uk; www.thamestrains.co.uk; www.nationalrail.co.uk
By road
The aerodrome is around 48km (30 miles) from central London and is on the A325. It is accessible from the A31, M3, M25 and A23 via junction 8 of the M25. For exhibitors, each trade day entrance ticket includes free car parking available either on or adjacent to the site. Exhibitors can reserve parking for the duration of the show. All parking is free, and there are free shuttle buses from car parks into the show. Allow at least 2h for the journey from central London.
London General is an official public transport operation for the SBAC and will be operating coach services from central London and Heathrow Airport. Journey time is around 90min from Heathrow and 120min from central London. Coach services will also operate from Gatwick Airport.
London General coach services leave Victoria Coach Station, Marble Arch, Earl's Court, as well as the airports. There will also be pick-up points at various London hotels. Information: tel: +44 (0) 20 8646 1747. Internet: www.londongeneral.co.uk/farnborough.
Further information: Sarah Wragg, SBAC, 60 Petty France, London, SW1H 9EU. E-mail sarah.wragg@sbac.co.uk.
Dates and opening times
The show runs from 22-28 July from 09.30-18.00. The first day is a combined media and trade day, with the following four days designated trade days. The last two days are open to the public.
Attractions & flying display
Five large exhibition halls feature anything from ejector seats to ground radar, engines, widgets and wings. Visitors can touch, feel and experience much of the equipment on display, first hand, with flight simulators, extreme rides and interactive exhibits. There are also Discovery Stands, where exhibitors will provide youth-oriented presentations, and an Aerospace Adventure Pavilion. Hundreds of companies from the UK and abroad will be showing off what the future holds for aerospace and there will be over 200 aircraft on display in the aircraft park. A Children's Activity Zone will feature face-painters and entertainers.
The Red Arrows air display team opens and closes the show. Military and civilian aircraft from around the world take part in a 4h display. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will include a Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster and Dakota. Flying displays will start at 12.30 and finish at 17.00.
Tickets
On-day trade tickets are £25 ($37) per adult (£20 advance). Contact: The Exhibitions Department by telephone +44 (0) 20 7227 1043 or fax +44 (0) 20 7227 1039 or e-mail: exhibitions@sbac.co.uk Website: www.farnborough.com. Tickets for public days are available through First Call Tickets. Tel: 0870 906 3859. Group bookings: tel: +44 (0) 20 7014 8444. Coach operations: tel: +44 (0) 20 7014 8440. Advance adult tickets cost £17. Adult on-day tickets cost £22. There is a 5% discount on bookings of 20 or more.
Source: Flight International