-
A.V. Roe
A fascinating addition to this year's Farnborough International Airshow is the International Pioneers of Flight pavilion supported by BAE Systems.
The Pavillion will hold five accurate, full-scale replicas of the early 20th century aircraft. For the first time in history the AVRO Biplane (1908) and AVRO Triplane (1910), the Cody Flyer (1908), the Wright B Flyer (1909) and the Demoiselle (1909) will be displayed together under one roof.
During 1908 two pioneers of British aviation, A.V. Roe (later Sir Alliott Verdon-Roe pictured) and Samuel F. Cody were moving closer to achieving powered flight at Brooklands and Farnborough respectively. In June 1908 A.V. Roe made several flights under tow and in his own words "...nearly left the ground" in his biplane on a powered run.
On 16th October, 1908 Cody achieved what is now recognised as the first, albeit brief, official powered aeroplane flight in Britain. In 1910 Roe founded the firm of A.V. Roe and Company, manufacturing aircraft (a predecessor company of BAE Systems).
The Cody Flyer replica, built by hand using entirely authentic methods and materials, was the very aircraft that undertook that first flight at the Farnborough airfield in 1908. The Cody Flyer represents the heritage and pedigree of cutting edge technology and innovation in the aerospace industry, which has always been the unique quality of Farnborough International Airshows.
Another highlight of the pavilion will be two 'flight simulators' - one replicating the controls of the Wright B and the other the controls of the Cody Flyer - where visitors can try their hand at 'flying' the two aircraft. These interactive displays will demonstrate the range of methods that emerged when different brains confronted similar challenges.
In addition to the aircraft and simulators, the International Pioneers of Flight Pavilion will feature a display of memorabilia supplied by family members and other collectors, and signage explaining the thought processes behind the approaches each team eventually decided to take.
