The SBAC has banned the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet from further participation in the flying display because of a violation in Tuesday's show.
The aircraft returned to its US Marine Corps base in Aviano, Italy, yesterday after McDonnell Douglas decided not to protest the SBAC's ruling and to withdraw the aircraft from the flying display.
On Tuesday, MDC chief test pilot Gary Jennings was seen pulling a tight turn at the end of the F/A-18's display. It is at this point that the aircraft is believed to have dropped below the 500ft (150m) ceiling permitted by the SBAC.
MDC says it understands the aircraft dropped about 50ft below the limit, although observers say that it looked lower.
MDC is making light of the issue. Not being able to demonstrate the aircraft at Farnborough is a disappointment, but the aircraft "... performed very well for the first two days of the show and has completed a very successful demonstration in central Europe," says the company.
The Hornet has been on a European tour since April, visiting the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Farnborough completes this tour, which has included flying demonstrations to government and air force chiefs as well as at public airshows. "The ‘plane performed beautifully," says MDC. "There were no glitches or problems at all."
Recorded
MDC says that Tuesday's F/A-18 display, as with all other aircraft displays, was video recorded so that SBAC officials are able to analyse a performance if a violation is thought to have occurred. A company has the right to protest a judgement, but MDC decided against this.
The withdrawal does leave Farnborough's skies open to other fighter aircraft that are direct competitors of the F/A-18 in a number of European competitions.
Source: Flight Daily News