Farnborough: Aerospace consortium announces conference speakers

After the most successful Farnborough Air Show it has ever attended, the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC) has announced the speakers for its annual conference.

With the sector booming, the FAC is anticipating huge interest in the event that takes place on November 22 at Tylney Hall near Hook in Hampshire.

The conference is not only open to FAC members but any business that is involved with the aerospace industry and its supply chain.

The FAC supports around 300 companies, which are mainly SMEs based in the south and south east where the industry is centred.

Subjects being covered at the conference include aerial robotics, artificial intelligence, statistics, and finance for SMEs.

Jeremy Greaves, vice-president, UK corporate affairs and strategy at Airbus Group, will address the conference, as will a Brexit advisor from ADS.

Ian Parker of Human Powered Flight will be speaking, as will a representative from BEIS – the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy – about funding in support of the aerospace industry.

David Barnes, chief executive of the FAC, said: “We have a very wide-ranging programme this year and we are still feeling the momentum from the air show.

“There is a superb line-up of speakers covering all manner of topics – and the event is open to all businesses, not just our members.

“One attraction will be air commodore Johnny Stringer who has flown everything from Hurricanes to Typhoons and has detailed knowledge of unmanned aircraft and the use of weaponry with them.

“He was the UK air component commander in the Middle East between October 2016 and October 2017, commanding all UK air assets across the region during the fight against Daesh.

“His tenure spanned the decisive operations to liberate Mosul and Raqqah.

“We shall also be looking at the aerospace industry post-Brexit as well as developments in air warfare.

“It is about the whole industry and supply chain, not just defence. The conference will be a full day and there are still spaces available.

“The FAC is able to offer genuine assistance to all businesses within the aerospace sector.”