There are now four days to go until the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 kicks off on Monday, July 20. Ahead of this year’s exciting event, Simple Flying’s Managing Editor Tom Boon had the chance to sit down with Joe Muir, the Aerospace Commercial Director at Farnborough International. In our interview, Muir highlighted various interesting operational aspects when it comes to running the show.

With the Farnborough International Airshow only coming around every two years (it alternates every summer with the Paris Air Show), a lot of time and effort goes into ensuring that the event runs smoothly. Those visiting the show have diverse and changing needs, so there is always plenty for the team behind the event to think about. Ultimately, however, it is this hard work that makes the show great.

A Multifaceted Role

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Muir told Simple Flying that, while his job title at Farnborough International is Aerospace Commercial Director, “you could probably describe it as almost Event Director to a certain extent.” The airshow, like all aspects of the modern aviation sector, is ultimately a business that needs to make money, and, with this in mind, Farnborough International has a large sales team that Muir looks after as part of his role.

The “chalets, stands, [and] outside pavilions” are all aspects of the event that the organizers need to sell to attending companies, and, elsewhere, Muir also looks after “the team that brings in the international delegates.” These delegates, he explains, are the people that companies attending Farnborough come to see, and they include “chiefs of air force, foreign governments, and ministers.” Muir adds that:

“I also look after the customer experience team, [and] oversee the design of the show: how do you curate it, how does it feel, the layout, that kind of thing. So it’s multifaceted.”

Complex Logistics

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Getting all of the people at the Farnborough International Airshow to the places where they need to be is one thing, but organizing the dozens of visiting aircraft is another challenge altogether. Muir explains that, even before an aircraft can take part in one of the show’s famous flying displays, a plane, especially if it has come from abroad, “needs to have the right paperwork completed [and] checks done.”

This is because, as Muir notes, “the last thing we want to do is announce something and then it not fly.” Ultimately, and more than most, aviation is an industry where safety always comes first when major decisions are made. Even when it comes to announcing that a certain aircraft is going to be appearing, the show has to “wait on the company that’s providing the aircraft (…) to approve the announcement.”

Muir notes that the show has an agreement with Farnborough Airport (FAB) “whereby they hand over the airspace and the airfield for the five days.” On the ground, however, space is limited, and the show communicates closely with companies displaying static aircraft to ensure sufficient parking room is ready. Road closures and communication with local train and bus companies also play an important role.

The Makings Of A Successful Airshow

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As with any event, the organisers of the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow are determined for the spectacle to be a success. Having already tied down an impressive roster of aircraft for flying and static displays, there are many metrics by which the show can measure its success. On the news side of things, announcements of major orders are always an exciting part of the show, but they’re not everything.

Indeed, Muir says that deals alone are “not necessarily (…) an indication of success.” Instead, it comes down to influence, or, as Muir puts it, “who is actually attending, how senior are the people that are attending, are they spending more money to represent themselves?” In any case, this year’s Farnborough Airshow looks set to be an exciting one, and you can find all of the latest coverage on Simple Flying!