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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Farnborough Air Show?

42 replies

topsi · 07/07/2012 15:19

Any one been, thinking of taking DS 5, would this be a good day out?

OP posts:

Bunbaker · 07/07/2012 15:21

OH has been several times with work. Unless your son is really interested in aeroplanes then don't bother.

RayofSun · 07/07/2012 15:23

We went to the Waddington airshow last week with DS who is four. He loved it! Just take some ear defenders!

SpottyTeacakes · 07/07/2012 15:25

It's very, very loud. Sets all the car alarms off! It's also going to be very wet tomorrow. But yes, if he loves aeroplanes then he will love it :)

pugsandseals · 07/07/2012 15:37

It's next weekend isn't it? Not this. We're going for the first time this year. Not sure if we will actually go in though or find somewhere nearby to park up as entry seems so so expensive! Been to Duxford before & there is a lovely little village primary school just down the road that open up for parking & they have a BBQ tea coffee etc. Makes for a lovely day. Am hoping something similar can be found at Farnborough

SpottyTeacakes · 07/07/2012 15:41

Oh yes sorry I don't know what day it is at the moment!

My dad said yesterday, because we were talking about it, that he wished he had taken a picnic when he went. Not sure if that's because there wasn't much there or because food was expensive, I expect it was the latter. I think it shows the eating options on the website though. I will probably go with dd when she is big enough for the loud noises :)

SpottyTeacakes · 07/07/2012 16:27

Apparently they have lots of children's play areas now too

pugsandseals · 07/07/2012 16:33

Thanks Spotty,
Any idea what age groups the play areas are designed for? DD is a rather tall 10 year old & I'd rather not tell her about it if it's all for littlies that she would be likely to trample all over!

SpottyTeacakes · 07/07/2012 17:05

Sorry that's all the info dp has a colleague told him

GaryTankCommander · 07/07/2012 17:09

If your DS likes planes he will love it. But a warning the fast jets are so low and loud you can actually feel it in your chest so he may get a little frightened.

Also Farnborough itself gets very busy. Driving into it will be a bit of a nightmare. Do not use your gps once you're in Farnborough follow the yellow signs instead.

CMOTDibbler · 07/07/2012 17:22

We went to Fairford last year, and I fully expected to hate it. But I actually had a fab day. DS needed ear plugs under his ear defenders when we were on the flight line though.

Friends dd used to go to a nursery right on the edge of the airfield - for a week beforehand the staff had lists of when the fast jets would be flying to prepare the children !

Original poster

topsi · 08/07/2012 08:51

mmm so is it more of a comercial thing for people in the business with an air show thrown in at the end? Are there planes to get inside and stuff like that? On the web site it does show some play areas for kids but at £72 for the basic tickets it is quite expensive if we are not going to have a fab time.

OP posts:

SpottyTeacakes · 08/07/2012 20:28

I don't think it's a commercial thing. Afaik there's lots to see and do and if you/the dc like aeroplanes it should be a great day

Bunbaker · 08/07/2012 20:36

"I don't think it's a commercial thing"

It is or certainly used to be. OH works in the aerospace industry and has been to the show several times. Farnborough air show is where all the movers and shakers network with each other on their stands. In many ways it is a bit like a trade show. He also said that generally you don't get to look round the inside of an aircraft either.

GaryTankCommander · 08/07/2012 20:36

It's commercial Mon-Fri and public Sat-Sun... It's a proper air show (it's huge), there will be aeroplanes and helicopters to sit in and photograph. I think it's the biggest air show in the UK.

If the A380 flies over this year it's awesome. It flies low and slow, you've not seen anything like it.

GaryTankCommander · 08/07/2012 20:38

You do get to sit in some aircraft, well I have in the past, I sat in an Apache. Mon-Fri is definitely commercial, it's for buying and selling and everything aviation. But at the weekend it turns public and it's very entertaining.

SpottyTeacakes · 08/07/2012 20:39

I thought the weekend ones were directly aimed at families and stuff but I have never been I just live near it

Bunbaker · 08/07/2012 20:42

Thanks for correcting me. OH only ever went with work during the week. It does sound entertaining. I want to go now.

SpottyTeacakes · 08/07/2012 20:50

I want to go too, will have to wait for dd and dc2 to be old enough to enjoy it though. Maybe in a few years time we might even get a summer

DanFmDorking · 08/07/2012 23:39

is it more of a commercial thing for people in the business with an air show thrown in at the end?
Oh absolutely

Are there planes to get inside and stuff like that?
Yes, but not very many and on public days the queues can be long.

I really think 5 is far too young to fully appreciate the Farnborough Airshow. On public days there is a Funfair at one end but that's got nothing to do with aircraft. One can go (almost) anywhere and pay for rides and they are not cheap.

Points: it is a large site (with a bit of a hill). The free bus travel to and from the free car park is well organised but not especially quick. On public days (particularly when the weather is fine) the crowds are huge and on rainy days the mud is annoying. By the time one has reached the displays at the far end one is going to be shattered and then you have to walk back, after hoovering up all the freebies from the displays/stands one needs a strong bag, strong arms and strong bladder control. Toilets are few, the noise is not loud it?s very loud and next to the runway it?s painful.

My advice is don?t take anyone under 12. Arrive early, take food and drinks with you in disposable containers, it is expensive to buy. Get a free layout guide and make a point of going straight to the Halls first (there are 4 halls). Try the Flight Simulators before the queues get too big. Do the hoovering of the freebies first before they all go, then eat, then enjoy the Air Display in the afternoon. The best place to view is from the hill where the chalets are, not next to the runway.

The public days are Sat 14th & Sun 15th of July.

If you do go I really hope you enjoy it. I?ve been working on-site since Friday and I find it all absolutely fascinating. You might see me!

DanFmDorking · 09/07/2012 20:52

Re lavatories:- Having looked at the site map today there are more than I'd first thought.

David Cameron was there today.

DanFmDorking · 13/07/2012 20:41

Are you going topsi?

difficultpickle · 13/07/2012 20:53

I first took ds when he was 4. We had a fab day out. Loads to do and see. The planes are very very loud. I didn't take ear defenders for ds but he was fine and loved all the noise (I tried to put my hands over his ears when the noise was at its worst). He wouldn't let me. However there were quite a few children older than him who were in tears at the noise.

Took him to the last show when he was 6 and took ear defenders, which he refused to use. It is a really good day. They have park and ride or train and ride schemes. We did park and ride first time and it took a very long time to get back to the car. The train and ride was better.

Unfortunately we are away this year so will miss it.

pugsandseals · 13/07/2012 21:25

Just arrived to stay in a Travelodge tonight. Travelled through absolute torentials to get here & am thinking that even if they do fly, we're all going to get stuck in the mud getting there! Anyone know of any local attractions to keep a ten year old occupied if we decide to stay away because of the weather???

SlightlyJaded · 13/07/2012 21:34

DH is taking DC tomorrow (5 & 7)

Unfortunately I can't go as I have a hair
appointment

Slightly worried they might get bored and hate the noise, but we downloaded the map and it looks like lots to do. They will take a picnic/packed lunch and i will instruct DH suggest they follow the advice on here re: activities/freebies first thing. Air show from the hill in the afternoon

Thanks for tips.

Meglet · 13/07/2012 21:43

We went 2yrs ago when the DC's were 3.7 and almost 4.

They had ear defenders. Therefore they were oblivious to the jets that moved too fast for them to track them and spent all the time asking for snacks . Me, "Look it's the RED ARROWS".............DC. "mummy can I have some raisins" .

But, yes, it is heart-judderingly-loud. Makes gig's seem like a whisper of noise. I'm gutted its raining TBH so we will skip it this year but we'll definately go in 2014 as the DC's will be 7 & 5 by then and able to really appreciate it even if it's raining.

Traffic can be bad too.

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