24th July 2024 marked HTMS's first appearance at the Farnborough International Airshow, a weekly long event of immense scale and significance in the aviation and aerospace industry. Representing HTMS were CEO Danilo Di Salvo, CTO Richard Grainger, and COO Will Larkin. The sheer magnitude of the show was awe-inspiring, with four large buildings housing hundreds of aviation and aerospace businesses, all set against the backdrop of a very busy airfield, the platform for some exceptional displays of aerobatic skill from both pilots and machine . Situated close to the runway were the exclusive chalets, where the event's most significant deals were sealed—amounting to over $80 billion in contracts signed throughout the show.
HTMS was both delighted and honoured to have been invited to spend the afternoon in the Boom Supersonic chalet. This opportunity allowed Danilo, Richard, and Will to meet the Boom team in person and continue discussions on how HTMS’s CMCs could address the thermal challenges faced by their next generation supersonic airliner. We were warmly welcomed by Senior Engineer Andries Buitenhuis and SVP Scott Powell, who guided us to a scale model of Symphony, Boom's new supersonic jet engine.
Here, we engaged in detailed discussions about the thermal challenges in the engine's exhaust and explored how HTMS’s unique CMCs could help the Boom team reduce weight and extend the life of their exhaust system. Later, we were treated to gin and 'supersonic' tonics on the veranda, where we watched the aircraft and helicopters in action at the show—a perfect way to conclude a busy and productive day.
The morning had been packed with meetings, both with existing clients and potential new customers. There was considerable interest in our latest developments, including complex CMC part fabrication, filament winding, and recent test results and we look forward to following up on these conversations in the coming weeks.
We were also pleased to spend time with our Advisor and Angel Investor, Luke Logan, who shared his insights on this year’s show. “It’s certainly much bigger and busier this year,” Luke observed, a sentiment we wholeheartedly agree with.
The show exceeded all our expectations, and we can’t wait to return for the next one in 2026!