A flying start to the new Millennium-that's how Farnborough International 2000 and the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford are billing their back-to-back air shows to launch the next century. Conjecture had been rife that the two-often seen as rivals-would go head-to-head that year after the Society of British Aerospace Companies moved Farnborough's date to July.

Not so, says International Air Tattoo director of operations Tim Prince. The two-day IAT show will be held over a July weekend as usual, to be followed immediately by Farnborough, which will start on Monday through to the following Sunday.

"We are going to coordinate our efforts with the SBAC, said Prince, "and the aviation world will be able to visit what is already the world's biggest military aircraft show and then travel straight on to Farnborough. It will be nine days of the best non-stop airshow in the world."

The International Air Tattoo, often seen as the NATO military show, is a public event featuring over 200 NATO and military aircraft. Its several hours of flying displays attract an attendance of hundreds of thousands of sightseers, as well as top-level military delegations. A number of aerospace companies now host hospitality chalets there-but not on the scale of Farnborough.

SBAC president John Rose, also chief executive of Rolls-Royce plc, agreed on the wisdom of combining the two shows. "Hopefully there will be people who combine attendance at both events, as they will happen in conjunction with each other," he said. "Fairford will happen the weekend at the beginning of Farnborough. They address slightly different audiences, but some of the people who are involved are the same, so economically it will make more sense."

However, when asked if they ever saw IAT and SBAC joining forces for one mega show on a common site, both executives said: No Way.

Said Prince: "There are no plans to amalgamate because our aims are different. We have 4,500 volunteers dedicated to making money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. The SBAC largely contracts out all of its services and is a totally different show."

Prince was evasive when asked if he saw IAT and SBAC doing a similar back-to-back show in 2002. He said he thought the SBAC might review their plans after the 2000 show when they saw how it had all panned out.

SBAC's dilemma is that after the 2000 show the Farnborough airfield will be sold by MoD and the Farnborough show could be looking for a new venue. Even if they get to stay at Farnborough under the new owners, they could have to pay far more for the facilities-such as fire and rescue services-many of which are currently provided by the British government.

IAT, however, has a problem with its site for the year 2000. According to one insider, the USAF wants NATO to pay for the complete refurbishment of the runway at the Air Tattoo's Fairford venue, which, if it happens, will mean a change of location-perhaps to Boscombe Down.

So the new Millennium will open with Farnborough at Farnborough, but in July, and Fairford at Boscombe Down, perhaps-but just for one year. Then it could be Farnborough at.....?

By Mike Vines