The static display from Leonardo outside their hall was once again smaller than the previous show, this time only containing the recently repainted M-346FA demonstrator and a rather anonymous looking AW149 (one for Poland?), along with a couple of small drones...
Alenia Aermacchi M-346FA by Professor M, on Flickr
Leonardo AW149 by Professor M, on FlickrOutside the Textron stand were three Bell helicopters and this King Air 260 demonstrator, the METS markings highlighting the ongoing deliveries of the type as the T-54A to the US Navy as a replacement for their T-44 Pegasus...
Beechcraft King Air 260 METS by Professor M, on FlickrPortland-based Helioperations had their (relatively) new AW139 on display, along with this grey Sea King HU5 ZA137 - a welcome change from the Orange-and-Grey XV666 that they have exhibited at the last two shows...
Helioperations Sea King HU5 (ZA137) by Professor M, on FlickrAs always, there was a large US DoD contribution to the show with US Army AH-64E, UH-60V & CH-47F, USN P-8A, a pair of USAF F-16C and a Kentucky ANG C-130J-30, whilst an MQ-9A was flown into the show by C-17. Furthermore, a B-52 made a single flypast during the afternoon's flying display...
US Army AH-64E Apache Guardian by Professor M, on Flickr
US Army UH-60V Blackhawk by Professor M, on Flickr
US Army CH-47F Chinook by Professor M, on Flickr
USAF MQ-9A Reaper by Professor M, on FlickrDuring the week, Embraer had their KC-390, Super Tucano, E-Freighter and E195-E2 demonstrators on display - though all but the latter had departed by the start of play on Friday, the airliner being open for the visitors to go onboard...
Embraer E195-E2 'Profit Hunter' by Professor M, on FlickrWith airliners from Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Air India and JetBlue having departed by Friday morning, Airbus were represented by an RAF A400M and this very anonymous looking C295W. Marked as 230, this had been seen earlier in the year with FA-655 marked on its forward undercarriage door (taped over for the show) - it should be delivered to the Mozambique Air Force in due course...
Mozambique Air Force C295W by Professor M, on FlickrHaving been absent for the 2022 edition, Diamond was back for 2024 with their DART-750 demonstrator, as well as a DA62 MPP. The DART series first appeared at the show in 2016 as the DART-450, then again in 2018 as the DART-550. Another change of engine later, and it returned this year, yet to be certified and development work still ongoing...
Diamond DART-750 by Professor M, on Flickr
Diamond DA62 MPP by Professor M, on FlickrBy my reckoning, the Slovak Air Force last attended the Farnborough Airshow in 2008 with a pair of MiG-29 supported by an An-26 - how times have changed! This UH-60M (opened up for visitors to climb aboard with crew on-hand to talk about their new toy) is one of an order that will eventually see the type replace the Mi-17 in Slovak military service. A Let-401UVP-20 acted as support for the helicopter, visiting Farnborough over the weekend before the show. However, with the C-27J 1962 no longer tied up in the static display at RIAT, it was the Spartan that visited on the Friday to support the return journey, heading home again on the Saturday...
Slovak Air Force UH-60M Blackhawk by Professor M, on Flickr
Slovak Air Force C-27J Spartan by Professor M, on FlickrCompared to 2022, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) had a much reduced presence at the show with Hürjet and Gökbey mock-ups on their stand whilst the flying display offered an early opportunity to see the Gökbey in the air...
TAI T625 Gokbey by Professor M, on FlickrAs Airbus' A380 displays fade into distant memory, this year Airbus were displaying their newly-certified A321neoXLR...
Airbus A321neoXLR by Professor M, on FlickrPerhaps the most eagerly-anticipated display came from Boeing's pilots in the F-15QA Ababil soon to be delivered to Qatar. Whilst the four previous days had seen both the clean and loaded jets displaying, and a further loaded jet on static display alongside the US DoD types, by the time the display began on Friday, it was just the clean jet left to perform its display, tail-slide and all. This was one of a number of fast jets to feature in the proceedings, along with flypasts from an RAF F-35B and also a pair of Italian Eurofighters - as well as two appearances by the Danish F-16...
QEAF F-15QA Ababil by Professor M, on FlickrBeing the Friday, there were a number of "seaside" acts brought in - including "The Starlings" in a pair of Extra NG, as well as the Aerosuperbatics Wingwalkers, Biggin Hill Spitfire IX TA805, Stampe Formation Team and a parachute display from the Army's Red Devils (and an abortive attempt from the RAF's Falcons from a Chinook - for their second aborted Farnborough appearance in a row) - Rich Goodwin was also present in his Jet Pitts, though initial issues starting the jets meant he missed his slot and headed straight home. It was quite clear during the flying that, despite the show ground not extending anywhere near as far to the west as it did for shows up to and including 2018 (when the public weekend saw a line-up of historic types and other light aircraft in that area and a cargo village during the week) - the displays nonetheless seemed to continue just as far to the west, with much of the displays seemingly not being to the benefit of the crowd watching on - I was quite far to the west of the crowd line, but seemingly very close to show-centre nonetheless...
The Starlings (Extra NG x2) by Professor M, on FlickrATR displayed their 72-600, with a further example from Braathens Regional Airlines on static display...
ATR 72-600 by Professor M, on FlickrInitially listed as a flying participant, then listed as static only - before subsequently displaying during validations week, in the end Navywings' Swordfish and Wasp were on static display, along with the Beaver and Scout from the Historic Army Aircraft Flight. A rather smokey start-up from the Wasp meant it didn't depart as planned following the flying display - ADSB data would suggest it remains at Farnborough...
Westland Wasp HAS1 (XT420) by Professor M, on FlickrLooking back, there were plenty of highlights at the event - I'd suggest more than there were in 2022. Yes, it may not be in its glory days any more, but it continues to attract some aircraft that if you want to see them in this country, you do have to go to Farnborough.
Thanks for looking.
