What a Day to Work in Farnborough

What a day yesterday was to work in Farnborough. As you know I work for Xerox, and one of the accounts I work on the QinetiQ account in Farnborough. The site borders Farnborough airport and the building I work in is actually next to the runway or as close as you can get at least. […]

What a day yesterday was to work in Farnborough. As you know I work for Xerox, and one of the accounts I work on the QinetiQ account in Farnborough. The site borders Farnborough airport and the building I work in is actually next to the runway or as close as you can get at least.

Although the Farnborough International Airshow doesn’t start until next week yesterday saw some pretty good action for aircraft coming in to do their validation flights and testing their displays.

An F-16 was around on about three or four occasions, an F-18 Super Hornet came by late in the afternoon.

Just after lunchtime, a flight came in that will take every nostalgic bone in your body excited. After much awaiting and expense to renovate, the last Avro Vulcan which received its air worthiness certificate on Friday of last week graced us with it’s presence. It was raining at the time of the Vulcan going around but it was a beautiful sight, so who cares.

The one I have saved until last was the flight by the F-22 Raptor. It’s first time out of the US to come to England and show at RIAT and Farnborough, it left RIAT yesterday to come straight here, and unlike the K-16 which appears to be stationed at Farnborough, there was no chance of the F-22 landing here and staying overnight. Once it finished making my ears bleed in all its superior glory it climbed up through the clouds and was never to be seen again.

For anyone who doesn’t know what any of these four planes our, see the links below. These pictures aren’t by me as cameras are banned on the QinetiQ site which is a real shame.

http://website.lineone.net/~roling49/Jetbombers/Vulcan-1a.JPG
http://www.waffenhq.de/flugzeuge/f-16-07.jpg
http://www.elpais.com/recorte/20070619elpepueco_9/XLCO/Ies/Boeing_F-18_Super_Hornet.jpg
http://members.lycos.nl/royvlak/f22.jpg

All of this was at yesterday’s practice day, so I can’t wait to see the opening day of the actual show when the F-22 will be back for it’s only day at Farnborough. I do feel sorry for the public who will be missing it at the weekend on the open days.