Farnborough International Airshow celebrates 75th anniversary

Farnborough International Airshow is marking 75 years of pioneering aviation and innovation today (7 September 2023).

It was established in 1948 by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. The first airshow featured 66 different British aircraft, including the launch of the Cierva W.II Air Horse, across the static and flying display.

Over the course of the past 75 years, Farnborough has been the home of a number of historic firsts in the aerospace industry – for example, the launch of the world’s first jet airliner, the De Havilland DH106 Comet 1, in 1949; the Black Arrows’ record-breaking 22-aircraft formation loop in 1958; BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde’s Farnborough debut in 1970 with a low flypass over spectators; and the Airbus A380 debut in 2006.

The airshow offers a global platform to companies to showcase technological breakthroughs and feats of engineering. It convenes more than 74,000 global aerospace, political and military leaders plus international media, from over 100 countries, in the very same location as the first event: Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.

To celebrate the milestone with the aerospace community, Farnborough International, organizers of the airshow, will be exploring the legacy of the event throughout September with Farnborough historian and aviation enthusiast Peter Cooper, while looking forward to the future of the aerospace industry.

In addition, Farnborough International is giving away 75 tickets to those who register their interest for the 2024 event, taking place 22–26 July 2024.