Although ATC (Aviation Television & Communication) has provided services to FIA for 18 years, this was the first time it was able to call upon the massive resources of its new parent group PSL. According to ATC director Tony Wall, working together to ensure the success of the world's largest airshow has "cemented the relationship" between ATC, the aerospace event service specialists, and PSL, which acquired the company a year ago.
Such is the scale of ATC / PSL's service at Farnborough International Airshow that the first crew members started on site in the middle of May. 50 kilometres of cable have to be laid in order to install the most extensive temporary PA in Europe, a dual-purpose system that handles emergency public address, as well as public commentary.
With five exhibition halls on site, in addition to numerous corporate 'chalets' in the hospitality village, ATC / PSL was handling the AV and IT requirements of nearly 100 clients. More than 180 plasma screens were installed, three large-format LED screens were provided for outdoor display at various points on the airfield, and a striking 4x4 Infinity video wall was built in Bell Helicopters' pavilion, commissioned by stand builders Lea International. In addition, there was a wide range of audio-visual and office IT equipment supplied, including projectors, PA systems, computers, laptops, printers, and fax machines. ATC / PSL equipped six conference rooms in the Media Centre, supplying three technicians to support the meetings for the duration of the Airshow.
ATC / PSL's two-camera broadcast unit was on hand every day to film the flying displays, providing a live TV feed to the public LED screens, and to many of the corporate pavilions and hospitality chalets. The team had to react quickly when the microwave link, which delivered the live feed to the main LED screen, was broken. "Someone parked one of the largest planes in the world right in our line of sight!" explained Tony Wall, who had to re-route the microwave link around the aircraft.
Another coup for the team was the creation of an AV theatre on board the massive C17 US Airforce airlifter, which is capable of carrying four tanks.
Speaking from the onsite office in the Contractors' Village, close to the warehouse facilities housing spares and a veritable flight-case mountain, Wall identified the secret to a successful show. "At a major international airshow like Farnborough, our job is all about speed and efficiency of service. Our aerospace clients have very high expectations in terms of technology, and they also want us to respond to their needs as quickly as possible. The merger of ATC and PSL has allowed us to combine ATC's experience of 18 Farnborough Shows with the superb technical facilities of PSL, and we will now take that forward to nearly 20 more aviation and defence industry shows in the coming year."
(Chris Henry)
