Posted: July 28, 2026
Florida's Great Northwest (FGNW) led a regional delegation of economic development leaders to the 2026 Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), positioning Northwest Florida's 13-county footprint for sustained growth in the aerospace and defense sectors.
Exhibiting as an official partner in the SelectFlorida Pavilion, FGNW showcased the region's strategic assets alongside prominent Florida industry leaders.
Throughout the event, the delegation engaged directly with global executives, site selectors, and aviation leaders to highlight Northwest Florida's skilled workforce pipeline, robust infrastructure, and prime location along the Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor.
The Farnborough International Airshow remains one of the world's premier aerospace and defense trade events, bringing together over 1,400 exhibiting companies and tens of thousands of industry decision-makers. Economic development organizations prioritize the biennial event because it provides direct access to C-suite decision-makers from major global aerospace manufacturers and suppliers.
During the event, FGNW conducted targeted, high-level meetings with key corporate prospects to discuss business relocation and expansion opportunities in Northwest Florida. The region has seen a steady increase in aerospace projects due to its close proximity to major aerospace Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). With over 20 direct meetings with aerospace companies and numerous high-value networking opportunities, the FGNW team returned home with a strong pipeline of new business leads.
As the global aerospace sector continues to expand, FGNW remains focused on leveraging international missions to strengthen its prospect pipeline and secure long-term economic momentum for Northwest Florida.
Florida's Great Northwest is the regional economic development organization for the Florida Panhandle. The organization was created to promote Northwest Florida for economic growth and diversification, advocate for economic development issues that affect the region, and collaborate to improve regional competitiveness. The organization accomplishes this in partnership with the state and local economic development organizations, rural regional economic development organization, utility partners, private sector businesses, local government, higher education institutions, workforce boards, and community leaders.
