ILA Berlin 2026 closed its trade visitor days on June 12. The numbers are substantial: more than 600 exhibitors from over 35 countries, 200+ delegations, and 350 speakers across three stages made it the most internationally attended ILA in years. The Supplier Centre ran at full capacity across the three trade days. eVTOL and Advanced Air Mobility featured prominently across multiple exhibition segments.
Now the industry’s attention turns to Farnborough. The Farnborough International Airshow 2026 takes place July 20–24 in Hampshire, UK — and at over 12,000 expected trade visitors, it remains one of the most commercially significant aerospace events on the calendar.
What ILA Berlin 2026 Actually Revealed
Theme 1: Production Rate Pressure Is the Dominant Quality Risk
Every conversation in the Supplier Centre this year came back to the same operational reality: OEMs need more output, faster, without compromising conformance. Airbus’s A320neo family production target of 75 aircraft per month by 2026 — up from approximately 50 per month in 2023 — requires a proportional increase in Tier-1 and Tier-2 capacity.
The suppliers who managed this transition successfully at ILA were those who came with data — specifically, process capability data demonstrating that their critical characteristics remain stable at higher production rates. Those without this data were in a reactive position.
Theme 2: eVTOL Qualification Is Earlier Than Most Suppliers Think
The Advanced Air Mobility segment at ILA generated significant visibility. Several eVTOL developers have now moved from demonstrator programs into type certification activities under EASA’s SC-VTOL framework. Supplier qualification cycles for production-intent parts are beginning now — not in 2028 or 2030.
Suppliers who assumed they had two to three years to prepare their quality systems for eVTOL qualification requirements may need to reassess that timeline. The first SC-VTOL type certificates are expected in the 2027-2028 window.
Theme 3: Sustainability Documentation Is Becoming a Supplier Requirement
Multiple OEM representatives at ILA indicated that Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and lifecycle carbon data for purchased components are moving from voluntary reporting to contract requirements. For suppliers, this means quality management systems will need to incorporate environmental data traceability alongside dimensional and materials conformance documentation.
What to Watch at Farnborough 2026
Three specific areas deserve attention at Farnborough 2026:
First — composite structure programs. Both Airbus and Boeing have significant composite content in current and next-generation aircraft. Any new aircraft program announced with high composite content will immediately create qualification demand in the CFRP supplier base.
Second — engine supplier commitments. CFM International, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce all have significant delivery backlogs. New commitments at Farnborough add to that backlog.
Third — emerging market airline orders. Airlines from Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East are expected to be active at Farnborough, creating MRO demand in markets where quality oversight infrastructure is still developing.
3 Concrete Actions Between ILA and Farnborough
→ If you supply composite structures or CFRP components, initiate a production capability review now.
→ Review your EPD and lifecycle carbon documentation capability. If OEM sustainability reporting requirements are moving toward contract terms, your quality system needs to be able to generate this data reliably.
→ Monitor Farnborough order announcements for program implications. Use the order data as a strategic planning input for your own capacity and quality development roadmap.
The Bigger Picture
ILA Berlin and Farnborough together represent the two most commercially significant aerospace events of 2026. The quality management challenge for the supplier base is to be positioned — in terms of process capability, certification readiness, and documentation maturity — to serve those programs when the production demand arrives.
The time to prepare for Farnborough’s commitments is before the ink dries on the order agreements. Not after.
📌 Is your quality and certification framework aligned with the production demands that the 2026 airshow season is generating?
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Sources
ILA Berlin 2026: https://www.ila-berlin.de/en
Farnborough International Airshow 2026: https://www.farnboroughairshow.com
www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/civil-drones/regulationsEASA SC-VTOL: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/civil-drones/regulations