The major teams will be at Farnborough, but without some of their star players.
Karen Walker/ATLANTA
SOME OF THE business-aircraft industry's hottest talking points will remain just that at the 1996 Farnborough air show - talking points. For several reasons, many companies are not showcasing their newest products at this venue.
Among the most notable absentees from the show are the Bombardier Global Express, Cessna Citation X, Dassault Falcon 50EX, Gulfstream V and Learjet 45. Ironically, the reasons for absence are positive, rather than negative. Roll-out ceremonies and flight-test programmes have had to take priority over personal introductions, so several companies have chosen to leave their prized new products at home rather than interrupt schedules. The newly rolled-out Global Express should enter flight-testing in September, while the Citation X, Falcon 50EX, GV and Learjet 45 are all in the middle of their own flight-test and certification programmes.
In addition, while companies do not dismiss the importance of the Farnborough show, there is no denying that most business-jet manufacturers have their eyes focused a little further down the year, at the annual National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) trade exhibition in Orlando, Florida, in November. This specialised show is regarded as the prime, "must-attend" event of the business-aircraft industry's calendar and companies would rather play it safe and progress their new programmes to the point where they can be sure of taking those aircraft to the NBAA show, even if that means skipping Farnborough.
GOOD STATIC SAMPLING
The majority of business-jet manufacturers, however, will still have a strong presence at Farnborough. On their exhibition stands, in their hospitality chalets and at press briefings, they will use the opportunity to update customers on the status of their newest projects. At the same time, the static-display park will provide a good sampling of what is available in the marketplace. Additionally, although show organiser the Society of British Aerospace Companies might disagree, several business-aircraft manufacturers say that they perceive Farnborough as more of a military-biased event, and so some are showcasing special-mission variants of their mainstream products.
One familiar name, which will be missing totally will be that of Cessna. Although the US company has been a regular exhibitor at previous Farnborough air shows, this year's event occurs at a particularly busy time. During September, Cessna expects several major milestones: certification of the Citation Bravo light business-jet, an aggressive schedule for deliveries of the Mach 0.92 Citation X and the relaunch of single-engined piston-powered aircraft production at a new factory in Independence, Kansas. In the light of such varied and heavy commitments, the company has decided to forego participation in the 1996 Farnborough air show.
Cessna's decision may also have been influenced by the fact that it has just completed a nine-nation, 13-city, European tour with a full-scale mock-up of its Citation Excel widebody light business-jet. Cessna feels that the tour allowed its sales and marketing staff to spend focused time with customers and prospects and says that around one-quarter of orders for the new Excel resulted directly from that one-to-one contact programme. In addition, Cessna has expanded its distribution organisation through continental Europe, with the addition of four new authorised sales representatives, and it expects to announce the setting up of a European Citation service-centre before the end of the year. With so much time and effort already being invested into the European market, Cessna, it seems, is confident that the 1996 Farnborough show is superfluous to its needs.
Also surprising to some is the decision of Gulfstream (Chalet A23/24) not to bring its new long-range business jet, the GV, because this will probably be the only opportunity the aircraft has to take the limelight on a nearly empty stage. Gulfstream, however, feels that the aircraft is too close to certification to have this vital part of the programme interrupted by a transatlantic trip. Its arch rival Bombardier (4/C10) rolled out its Global Express on the eve of the show and should, therefore, be able to display it at the NBAA exhibition.
Bill Boisture, president of Savannnah, Georgia-based Gulfstream Aircraft, says that serious consideration was given to showing the GV. In the end, however, it was decided that the most responsible course of action to customers was to continue with flight testing and use the NBAA event instead as the debut show, even though it is likely, therefore, to share that stage with the Global Express. The GV, points out Gulfstream, is on track for US certification during the fourth quarter of 1996. In addition, Farnborough falls hot on the heels of Gulfstream's announcement of its initial public offering, so the show is expected to be a forum for chairman Teddy Forstmann to talk about the share offer, which should involve selling about one-third of Gulfstream for $640 million.
The decision not to show the GV has allowed Gulfstream to use Farnborough as a focus point for another aircraft - the GIV-SP. The company says it must not lose sight of the importance of this popular aircraft. The 300th GIV is expected to be rolled off the production line at about the same time as the Farnborough show, and sales of this aircraft are as healthy as those for the GV - the GIV orderbook is full into 1998, while the GV is booked into the first quarter of 1999. It is the GIV, therefore, which will take centre-stage among Gulfstream's exhibits at Farnborough, although the company is also bringing a US Navy C-20G - a multi-role GIV with cargo door - to emphasise the special-mission roles which the aircraft can meet.
SPECIAL MISSIONS
Special-mission aircraft will also be a focus for Raytheon Aircraft (Chalet B9-12), which will use Farnborough to unveil its Hawker 800 Special Missions aircraft. "We view the Farnborough air show as an important opportunity to reach potential customers who we may not otherwise meet," says President Roy Norris. "Particularly for a company such as Raytheon Aircraft, which produces significant numbers of special-mission aircraft, the Farnborough air show provides an ideal forum in which to showcase products and capabilities." The company will highlight the broad range of applications for the 800 Special Missions, including search and rescue, border intervention, surveillance and maritime patrol. Raytheon says that it has recently sold more than 25 of these aircraft to a major military customer. "Farnborough attracts a considerable number of representatives from foreign governments and military organisations, many of which are interested in the products we build. Raytheon Aircraft representatives will be on hand at the show to discuss military requirements and special-mission applications," adds Norris.
Although Israel Aircraft Industries' marketing arm, Astra Jet (4/H8), has decided against taking the mock-up of its new Galaxy widebody medium business-jet to Farnborough, it will have an Astra SPX on show throughout the exhibition. "The Galaxy mock-up has just returned from Bonn and is now touring the USA," says Astra Jet president Wayne Oedewalldt. "But we will be discussing [the Galaxy] at Farnborough because the first prototype is coming together, so we can discuss progress." Oedewalldt, who assumed the presidency of Astra Jet in May, confirms also that an announcement might be made at Farnborough about ownership of the US-based company. "We are hoping for a major announcement during Farnborough - although when you get into something of this magnitude and get down to the last-minute details, putting all of it together takes longer than one might expect. However, if everything can get wrapped up in time, then we might be able to make an official announcement at the Show," says Oedewalldt.
He adds that Farnborough comes at an especially important time for the Astra SPX because recent sales in Europe have been good - with three aircraft sold in the past two months - so the company wants to maintain the momentum and showcase this aircraft.
BOMBARDIER CONTINGENT
Bombardier, meanwhile, knows that its newly rolled-out long-range business jet, the Global Express, is likely to dominate conversation at its hospitality chalet, but it will use Farnborough to highlight the complete cross-section of products it now offers - from light business jets, through regional aircraft right up to the crowning glory of the Global Express. Proof of that broad range will be in the static display, which will feature a Canadair Regional Jet, a Canadair Challenger 604, a de Havilland Dash 8-300 and a Learjet 60. One newcomer to the show will be Learjet's recently appointed president, Mac Beaston. "I have not been to a Farnborough before, but I'm looking forward to it as an opportunity to interact with major suppliers and customers," says Beaston.
The dearth of competing business aircraft on display at Farnborough will give one manufacturer - Dassault Aviation (1/C9)- an unexpected boost. The French company is scheduled to exhibit the "medium-large" Falcon 2000 twinjet and the newly certificated Falcon 900EX tri-jet. Flight-test commitments will prevent display of the upgraded Falcon 50EX tri-jet, scheduled for certification in the third quarter of 1996.
Dassault's decision not to display the Mirage 2000 combat aircraft at Farnborough, for the first time in many years, leaves the Rafale fighter as the company's only military product at the show, and underlines the increasing importance of business jets to the French manufacturer, which is to be merged with Aerospatiale. The extended-range Falcon 900EX is Dassault's response to the GV and Global Express and a vital product for the company. The Falcon 2000, meanwhile, has been selling well, with ten delivered in 1995 - the first year of deliveries - and a further seven up to June 1996.
Although the business-aircraft world's eyes are turned towards the NBAA show in November, it seems that there will be no shortage of news at Farnborough. Manufacturers still regard the venue highly for its convergence of international companies and visitors.
Source: Flight International