Society of British Aerospace Companies facts for kids

The Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) was a very important group in the United Kingdom. It represented companies that worked with airplanes, space, and keeping people safe.

SBAC helped businesses involved in things like civil air travel, defense, and space exploration. In October 2009, SBAC joined with two other groups, the Defence Manufacturers Association and the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers. Together, they formed a new, bigger group called the ADS Group.

One of the most famous things SBAC did was organize the amazing Farnborough Airshow.

What SBAC Did

SBAC worked with many companies, over 2,600 of them, across different regions. They helped these companies grow their businesses around the world. SBAC also encouraged new ideas and made sure companies stayed competitive. They even helped with rules and standards for technical things.

Inside SBAC, there were other important groups like the British Aviation Group and the UK Space Agency.

A Look Back: SBAC's History

How It Started

On March 29, 1915, some British aircraft manufacturers and business leaders met. They wanted to create a system to set standards and share how they made things. This group was first called the Society of British Aircraft Constructors.

Famous people like Herbert Austin, Frederick Handley Page, H.V. Roe from Avro, and E.B. Parker from Short Brothers were part of this meeting. They decided to share their airplane designs. This way, many different factories could quickly build new planes when needed. Over 40 companies joined the group when it officially started on March 23, 1916.

Checking Airplanes for Safety

After World War I, the group grew a lot. It included almost every company involved with airplanes, like engine makers and metal companies. Around this time, people started calling the group by its shorter name, SBAC.

SBAC also played a big part in making air travel safer. They talked to Lloyd's of London, a famous insurance company, to start inspecting and insuring airplanes. This helped more people feel confident about flying, which led to more commercial flights.

Air Shows and Trade Fairs

In 1932, SBAC held a one-day air show and trade fair at Hendon airfield in London. It happened on June 19, right after the annual RAF Hendon display. They held similar one-day events for the next three years.

After 1935, the RAF Hendon display stopped. So, the SBAC show moved to de Havilland's Hatfield airfield in 1936 and 1937. The 1937 show was the first to last two days, and it was the last one before World War II.

Right after the war, the show was held at Radlett, where Handley Page was located. This was on September 12–13, and early September became the usual time for the show. In 1947, the show was again at Radlett and included three days of flying.

In 1948, the show moved to Farnborough, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. It became six days long with three flying days, which set the pattern for future shows.

The Farnborough shows happened every year throughout the 1950s. They were trade fairs for British companies, but also had two public days, Saturday and Sunday. Many people came to watch! For example, on the last day of the 1954 show, about 160,000 people attended.

In 1962, they made a small change to the "British-only" rule. Foreign aircraft could participate if they had British engines. 1962 was also the last year the show was held annually. After that, it happened every two years, starting in 1964. In 1968, European companies were invited to join.

By 1974, the show welcomed companies from all over the world. From 1978 onwards, it became known as Farnborough International. Since 1964, the Farnborough show has taken turns with the famous Paris Air Show.

Name Change

In 1964, the group changed its name from "Society of British Aircraft Constructors" to "Society of British Aerospace Companies." This new name better reflected all the different areas they worked in, including space.

Related Groups

SBAC Scotland was created in 2005.

See also

• UK Space Agency
• Royal Aeronautical Society