Farnborough International is seen by many an aviation enthusiast as the perfect combination of business and pleasure. However, until now, those in our sector of the industry visiting this mammoth event have had to find their target exhibitors by trawling through the various halls and chalet areas.

This year, the Business Aircraft Park will simplify that task. It is a dedicated area situated just a short distance from the main Farnborough show site, and only open for the first three days of the 2004 event. You can reach it by walking along the flight line – it is near to the huge BAe Systems construction, or there are shuttle buses that bring you from various points on the show site.

Show organiser SBAC is serious about making business and general aviators feel welcome at the world’s premier aviation event. “We recognised that the business aviation community had felt somewhat left out at previous shows” exhibition manager Amanda Stainer told EBAN.

“We knew that we needed something totally different, and I am delighted with the way the Business Aircraft Park has turned out. More importantly, we are committed to developing the Business Aircraft Park in the future. It is here to stay,” she added.

One of the special features of the Business Aircraft Park (BAP) is the close proximity of exhibitors to aircraft. The BAP occupies the site of the former TAG Aviation terminal, so good use has been made of the ramp area to provide a dedicated static display. The Business Aircraft Park is the only area of the show site from where demonstration flights can be undertaken, which has been an important reason why many of the world’s major business aircraft manufacturers have chosen to locate their aircraft at the BAP.

The Farnborough ‘wow’ factor

One advantage that Farnborough can offer both the visitor and exhibitor is the undoubted ‘wow’ factor of such a large event, with the spectacular afternoon flying displays. Visitors to the Business Aircraft Park will be able to make use of the balcony area directly in front of the exhibition chalets to have a grandstand view of the proceedings. Free tea and coffee is an additional feature of the BAP that will find favour with

many visitors.

A show though cannot exist just on this ‘wow’ factor alone, which explains why some key exhibitors have recently concentrated their efforts on EBACE. SBAC’s Amanda Stainer explained: “We believe that Farnborough reaches an audience that more regional shows cannot, even ones like EBACE that target all of Europe. We will have around forty official delegations at this year’s event, from literally all over the world, and all of them will be encouraged to visit the BAP.

“Exhibitors will be invited to request meetings with delegations of their choosing. But it is the Farnborough ‘wow’ factor that encourages these incredibly important people to visit our show. The word ‘International’, that we use as the name for the trade element of the event, is an important one. This is a truly international show.”

The appeal of the Farnborough audience is possibly best illustrated by Wendy Beirwirth, Principal of Wentworth Affiliates, who is bringing a Head of State-configured Boeing 727-100 to the Business Aircraft Park. She told EBAN: “As specialists in vip Boeings, Farnborough is the ideal venue for Wentworth to expose its products and capabilities. Current commercial aircraft pricing reflects the same tempting market conditions that led businesses and governments to convert 727s to vip configuration in the 1980s.

“Farnborough affords us the ideal opportunity to expose this magnificent aircraft to potential buyers and to hold discussions on the attractiveness of 757 and 767 conversions.  We could not be more delighted that Farnborough has decided to open a Business Aircraft Park.”

As well as the international audience, Farnborough has a strong domestic presence. In fact, when we recently asked EBAN readers in the UK whether they intended to visit the show, a massive seventy six per cent responded positively. Interestingly, only thirty two per cent of them visited EBACE and a similar percentage intended travelling to this year’s NBAA convention.

These statistics support EBAN’s long held belief that there will always be a demand for business aviation events to visit different countries. “It is a fact of life that only a percentage of industry professionals can get permission from their employers to visit a show, and that for every person who does, there may be another six to 10 who work with them, who cannot. But it does not make them a less valuable audience,” suggests EBAN’s Mark Ranger.

“In Farnborough’s case, their audience is loyal. Research after the last show in 2002 showed that sixty two per cent had been to the show before and seventy nine per cent of visitors said that attending Farnborough International is an important part of their business.”

56-seat Fokker 100

Based at Farnborough itself, Aravco will have one of its 56-seat Fokker 100s on display for the duration of

the show.

The aircraft will have undergone a full D-check at Field Aviation in Calgary by then, and will return to appear at the show and to have its UK CAA inspection.

According to Aravco, the aircraft will then return to Canada for DAT approval and operations are expected to commence on September 1.

Operations manager Mike Palmer said: “Fokkers are ideal for conversion. When you look at the BBJs and similar, like the A319CJ, while the Fokker doesn’t have the range of those aircraft it is certainly a cheaper alternative and the configurations that they can lend themselves to make it an ideal platform,” he added.

Aravco aims to offer a variety of configurations within the aircraft’s cabin, which can be tailored to the individual needs of the passengers. “We’re working very closely with Fokker Services and their engineering partners, who have come up with various different configurations and have shown us some simulations which look very good,” Palmer said.

Crucial first three days

The Business Aircraft Park is only open for the first three days of Farnborough International – Monday July, 19 to Wednesday, July 23. Opening hours are 09.30 - 18.00 hours each day.

This reflects the organisers’ determination to stay focused on the trade nature of the audience, the majority of whom will be attending Farnborough International on those first three days.

Exhibitors have also been encouraged by this approach, as it makes Farnborough a much more cost-effective exhibition, from the standpoints of both staff costs and the fact that aircraft are tied up for a much shorter period of time than at previous shows.

Whatever your reasons for visiting the Business Aircraft Park, we hope your visit is a successful one. Please come and get to know the EBAN team while you are there – the more we know about you, the better we can make our magazines.