UK: Aviation giants fly into Farnborough under Brexit cloud

Top global plane makers land at the Farnborough air show in England next week, hoping to pick up speed on demand for passenger jets while charting a path through Brexit and trade war turbulence. This year’s sector showpiece event, opening on Monday, will be buzzing on the back of rapid changes in the industry, as Boeing and Airbus vie for superiority in the skies. Boeing could signal plans for its new mid-size aeroplane (NMA), but reports suggest this could be derailed by the festering global trade war spearheaded by US President Donald Trump. Boeing recently took control of the commercial business of Brazil’s Embraer, while Airbus bought a majority stake in Canadian peer Bombardier’s C Series airliner programme. The pair will continue their head-to-head dogfight at the biennial Farnborough event locked in a battle for lucrative multibillion-dollar jet orders. Farnborough, southwest of London, is one of the world’s largest civilian and defence air shows, along with Paris and Dubai. Visitors from almost 100 countries will flock to the event, which features air displays by civil and defence jets. “It’s our biggest international show ever,” said Gareth Rogers, CE of Farnborough International, adding that Chinese participation alone was up 70% from 2016. “Everybody is coming to the show,” he added.<br/>