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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jul/11/torrential-rain-flooding-grounds-farnborough-airshow-site-evacuated
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| Torrential rain and flooding grounds Farnborough airshow | Torrential rain and flooding grounds Farnborough airshow |
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| It must be summertime. The Farnborough international airshow, the UK’s biggest military and civilian aviation event, had to close early today after torrential rain forced exhibitors to evacuate the Hampshire site. | It must be summertime. The Farnborough international airshow, the UK’s biggest military and civilian aviation event, had to close early today after torrential rain forced exhibitors to evacuate the Hampshire site. |
| Farnborough is one of the world’s most important aviation trade airshows and was officially opened by the prime minister David Cameron on Monday morning. However, just after lunchtime the sky clouded over and the rain was soon ferocious. Inside the exhibition hall, where trade stalls displayed everything from drone sensor pods to metal tubing, water started seeping through floors and under doors. | Farnborough is one of the world’s most important aviation trade airshows and was officially opened by the prime minister David Cameron on Monday morning. However, just after lunchtime the sky clouded over and the rain was soon ferocious. Inside the exhibition hall, where trade stalls displayed everything from drone sensor pods to metal tubing, water started seeping through floors and under doors. |
| By 2.30pm, the organisers announced that the afternoon’s aviation displays were cancelled and the electricity in the exhibition halls would soon be shut off. Some stallholders gamely soldiered on, holding meetings in the dark. But shortly after that, the public address system announced that the event was being closed for the day, more than an hour earlier than expected. | By 2.30pm, the organisers announced that the afternoon’s aviation displays were cancelled and the electricity in the exhibition halls would soon be shut off. Some stallholders gamely soldiered on, holding meetings in the dark. But shortly after that, the public address system announced that the event was being closed for the day, more than an hour earlier than expected. |
| “It’s a mess,” said Camille Bouvet, who had travelled from Italy to attend the show on behalf of Forgital, a civilian producer of engines, and was attempting to rearrange her afternoon’s meetings. “You can’t do anything about the rain, but now with the electricity issues it’s a bit more complicated.” | “It’s a mess,” said Camille Bouvet, who had travelled from Italy to attend the show on behalf of Forgital, a civilian producer of engines, and was attempting to rearrange her afternoon’s meetings. “You can’t do anything about the rain, but now with the electricity issues it’s a bit more complicated.” |
| Chris Furniss, of Hyde Precision Components, said that the closure was a “disaster”. On the adjoining stall, Gregg Williams of Grob Machine Tools agreed. “You come here for the business. Everyone’s been told to leave the premises and it’s valuable selling time we’ve missed out on.” | Chris Furniss, of Hyde Precision Components, said that the closure was a “disaster”. On the adjoining stall, Gregg Williams of Grob Machine Tools agreed. “You come here for the business. Everyone’s been told to leave the premises and it’s valuable selling time we’ve missed out on.” |
| Williams added: “It’s unprecedented: I’ve never known rain like that at Farnborough. I don’t think anybody could cater for it. It’s unfortunate.” | Williams added: “It’s unprecedented: I’ve never known rain like that at Farnborough. I don’t think anybody could cater for it. It’s unfortunate.” |
| Another stallholder, who asked not to be named, said that 2012 had also been a bad year weather-wise. “You would have thought after the experience of 2012, of heavy rain and lots of mud, you would have thought they would have learned how to handle it.” | Another stallholder, who asked not to be named, said that 2012 had also been a bad year weather-wise. “You would have thought after the experience of 2012, of heavy rain and lots of mud, you would have thought they would have learned how to handle it.” |
| A spokeswoman for Farnborough international airshow said: “Due to the heavy rain, we have had to cancel today’s flying display and close the show early. This is disappointing news but safety remains our number one priority. We expect to run a full programme of events tomorrow and the rest of the week. All of today’s tickets are valid tomorrow.” | A spokeswoman for Farnborough international airshow said: “Due to the heavy rain, we have had to cancel today’s flying display and close the show early. This is disappointing news but safety remains our number one priority. We expect to run a full programme of events tomorrow and the rest of the week. All of today’s tickets are valid tomorrow.” |
| The show’s promotional literature boasts that orders and commitments worth more than $200bn (£154bn) were signed at the event last year, and the government announced that it was hosting military delegations from more than 40 countries. | The show’s promotional literature boasts that orders and commitments worth more than $200bn (£154bn) were signed at the event last year, and the government announced that it was hosting military delegations from more than 40 countries. |
| The airshow’s central attraction, the F-35 “Lightning” jet, had already performed a flypast with the Red Arrows, two years after its original debut had to be cancelled because of delays in its development. The UK is the second biggest client, after the US, for the aircraft, which has been described as the most expensive military project in history. Its lead developer, Lockheed Martin, and the US Department of Defense used a joint appearance at Farnborough to announce plans to cut the costs of the project. | The airshow’s central attraction, the F-35 “Lightning” jet, had already performed a flypast with the Red Arrows, two years after its original debut had to be cancelled because of delays in its development. The UK is the second biggest client, after the US, for the aircraft, which has been described as the most expensive military project in history. Its lead developer, Lockheed Martin, and the US Department of Defense used a joint appearance at Farnborough to announce plans to cut the costs of the project. |
| The UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, the government department that promotes the British defence industry abroad, said it had invited delegations from countries including Nigeria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to Farnborough. | The UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, the government department that promotes the British defence industry abroad, said it had invited delegations from countries including Nigeria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia to Farnborough. |
| The Campaign Against the Arms Trade, a pressure group, pointed out that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are facing a legal challenge over concerns that the country’s bombing campaign in Yemen is failing to protect civilians. | The Campaign Against the Arms Trade, a pressure group, pointed out that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are facing a legal challenge over concerns that the country’s bombing campaign in Yemen is failing to protect civilians. |
| Spokesman Andrew Smith said that this demonstrated “hypocrisy” on the part of the government. “UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia are currently subject to a full judicial review, the first of its kind. Yet, at the same time, the Saudi military has been invited to Farnborough to buy even more weapons, including the same kinds of bombs and fighter jets have been used in the devastation of Yemen,” he said. | Spokesman Andrew Smith said that this demonstrated “hypocrisy” on the part of the government. “UK arms exports to Saudi Arabia are currently subject to a full judicial review, the first of its kind. Yet, at the same time, the Saudi military has been invited to Farnborough to buy even more weapons, including the same kinds of bombs and fighter jets have been used in the devastation of Yemen,” he said. |