Farnborough has seen its share of aviation firsts. It was the site of the UK’S first powered flight, and of the public debuts of planes from Concorde to fighter jets. But the biennial airshow notched up an unwelcome first in 2020, when it was cancelled after an unbroken 70-year run – a symbol of the turmoil in the aviation industry caused by coronavirus.
It has been a chastening two years for the executives heading back to the Hampshire town this week. Yet for an industry that struggled as much as any during and after lockdowns, the mood among bosses sweltering in England’s record heat is likely to be more upbeat than they would have dared hope in the dark days of 2020.
