Mark Hannant and Tim Ripley
The vitality of the UK's aerospace industry is reflected in the scale of this the 50th anniversary Farnborough International Airshow, says David Marshall, director general of show organisers the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC).
The visit today of Prime Minister Tony Blair is a sign that the British government is giving the industry the active support it needs to maintain the UK's technology base as the next millennium dawns, Marshall says.
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Mandleson open Farnborough''98 this morning and are to tour the show site in a high profile show of support for British aerospace industry.
The recently promoted Mandleson is chairman of a key cabinet committee that will decide the government's aerospace policy as European consolidation enters its end game. His visit to Farnborough will be his first chance since he assumed office in late July to meet key industry leaders.
Whitehall watchers expect the pro-European Mandleson to swing the Blair government's policy even more firmly in favour of consolidation.
Blair is already a convinced advocate of consolidation but has left his subordinates to work out key details.
This year's Farnborough International is the largest of the decade, attracting a total of almost 1,200 exhibiting companies from 31 countries. Industry insiders predict that a number of large orders will be announced during the week.
Alongside the new technologies on show, the organisers have taken the opportunity to revel in history with a number of aircraft which flew in 1948 making return appearances at the Historic Aircraft Park.
"We're delighted to be looking back over 50 years of airshows here at Farnborough," says Marshall.
Source: Flight Daily News