Farnborough: Game-changing airshow

Farnborough in Hampshire, England has a long association with air travel. This image circa 1909 shows aviation pioneer Samuel Cody's British Army Aeroplane No 1 flying at Farnborough. Cody later died in an air accident. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Another air innovation gets an outing at Farnborough in 1925 as test pilot Frank Courtney talks with officials and reporters at the aerodrome before taking an "autogiro" for a flight.

A de Havilland Comet, the world's first jet airliner, is displayed at the Farnborough's second major air show in 1949.

Eight-year-old David Bailey stands by the undercarriage of an Avro York transport plane at the Farnborough Airshow rehearsal in 1950.

Disaster strikes the airshow in 1952 when a de Havilland 110 broke up over spectators after breaking the sound barrier. The accident killed 29 people on the ground and injured dozens more.

An experimental Rolls Royce aircraft capable of vertical take off, nicknamed the 'Flying Bedstead', exhibited in Farnborough in 1955.

A model of the supersonic airliner Concorde at the Farnborough air show in 1962.

A forerunner of modern day drone aircraft, the radio-controlled Westland Wisp was displayed at the 1976 Farnborough Airshow.

The £40 billion Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft is unveiled at Farnborough in 1998.

Members of the British Royal Airforce's "Red Arrows" aerial display perform stunts over Farnborough in 2004.

Then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair visits the air show in 2006. Current Prime Minister David Cameron is reportedly opening this year's event.

A Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft is pictured at Farnborough on July 22, 2010.

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• Farnborough airshow is one of the biggest aviation industry gatherings


• International presence is expected to be at an all-time high, says aviation expert Tim Robinson


• The F-35 will make its international debut; civil drones are on the rise

Editor's note: Tim Robinson is the Editor of Aerospace International, the flagship magazine of the Royal Aeronautical Society in London. For over ten years he has covered civil aerospace, military aviation and space. Follow him on Twitter @RAeSTimR.or read his RAeS Insight blog. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN) -- Every other year in July, the small town of Farnborough in South East England hosts the biggest names in the aviation world. Exhibitors and visitors mingle with the latest technology to hit the skies.

Below, UK Editor-in-Chief of Royal Aeronautical Society's Aerospace magazine, Tim Robinson highlights the themes and big players to watch out for at this year's Farnborough International Airshow.

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Touch and go as F-35 aims for international début

Costly white elephant, or next-generation, sensor-fused superfighter? Whatever your view of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Farnborough could be the first opportunity for the general public to see the West's latest stealth fighter outside of the U.S.

That's, of course, only if the aircraft overcomes a last minute fleet grounding following an engine glitch to fly across the Atlantic.

The UK, as a key industrial and strategic partner for the F-35, is set to acquire the fifth generation fighter, in its 'B' vertical-lift version for the UK's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. This UK visit, then, could see an order being placed for the first 14 F-35Bs.

While the fighter will wow the crowds with its vertical hovering in the air display, for the military top brass the most exciting features -- including its advanced sensors, helmet display and stealth -- are under the skin.

Should the F-35 miss the showcase of Farnborough, this will provide extra ammunition for its detractors -- and its absence would be a big talking point.

One positive point however, for the aircraft's recent engine fire, is it happened on the ground where engineers can study and solve the problem.

New contenders

While the home team will be riding high -- thanks to the UK government's support for its R&D and space sector -- Farnborough is truly a global airshow and showcase for the aerospace industry around the world --with over two-thirds of 1,500 exhibitors coming from outside the UK.

New countries represented this year include Malaysia, Tunisia and Thailand. While Airbus and Boeing continue to dominate the commercial aircraft industry, new entrants will be using Farnborough to show off their progress.

Expect updates from Brazil's Embraer -- which will have a mockup cabin for its re-engined E2 airliner, Japan's Mitsubishi Aircraft, whose Mitsubishi Regional Jet is now in final assembly, and Russia's Irkut -- developing the MC-21 -- a rival to the A320 and 737. However, one airliner in development that will be notable by its absence at the show is Canada's Bombardier CSeries.

This suffered a serious engine failure on the ground at the end of May, and although ground-testing has resumed, the aircraft now will miss the show.

Civil UAVs are now possibly one of the fastest growing sectors in aerospace.

Tim Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Aerospace

Finally, the airshow will also see a new military type from the U.S. making its international debut - the Textron Airland Scorpion. The two-seat, jet 'fighter' is a low-cost attack and reconnaissance platform -- aimed at bridging the gap between supersonic expensive fast jets and slower, cheaper turboprops. Will it find a niche?

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Rise of the drones

From book delivery by Amazon drone, to Google and Facebook's acquisition of 'high-altitude, long endurance' (HALE) makers, commercial UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are now going mainstream -- and this year's Farnborough will reflect this with a focus on autonomous 'intelligent systems' and indoor and outdoor UAV flying areas.

Civil UAVs are now possibly one of the fastest growing sectors in aerospace, with one estimate that in five years, commercial UAVs just in the U.S. could be a $13bn industry.

However, despite the enthusiasm, challenges remain; in certification, in sharing airspace with manned aircraft and in the business models and structure of this emerging sector.

So far the majority of activity has been in small UAVs like quad- and multi-copters -- but the bigger, established global aerospace players are now looking hungrily in the direction of the commercial UAV market.

Can they break into this? Or will, in this fast-growing sector, the big primes be outmaneuvered by these tiny start-ups?

Read this: 15 ways drones will change your life

10 amazing hotel showers

Outdoor showers are the ultimate sign of a relaxing vacation. Hide out in the luxurious bathing area at Carneros Inn in Napa Valley, California.

A premier luxury spot in America's Northeast, Hidden Pond Resort in coastal Maine features this romantic bathing area.

A resort that celebrates the natural beauty around it, Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado is a highly-rated mountain destination.

This Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii's Big Island features outdoor showers for guests in its first-floor rooms in the two-story bungalows.

The Maritime Hotel is one of New York City's most unique spots, with 1960's modeled architecture that remains timeless.

Come to Little Palm Island Resort for a bamboo shower in the rustic Florida Keys.

Hotel Saint Cecilia mixes Texan extravagance with the charming hipster culture of Austin. Suite One offers this sweet outdoor shower.

Luxury at its finest, the Miraval Resort in Tuscan is a spot complete with outdoor activities and villas featuring a LEED-certified outdoor shower.

The Tryon Farm Guest House is just south of Lake Michigan in Indiana, channeling the vibe of the American Midwest with an outdoor shower and other earthy charms.

Even in resort-rich Florida, the WaterColor Inn in Santa Rosa stands above the rest with its private outdoor showers in the first-floor rooms.

• Clean up and relax with your hotel suite's private outdoor shower


• Private bungalows in Napa feature views of the rolling fields


• The outdoor showers at one Four Seasons resort in Hawaii incorporate lava rock

(CNN) -- Imagine gazing out over New York City, both exposed and protected. It's the sensation -- and bragging rights -- you get from showering on the patio of your terrace suite at the Bowery Hotel.

"We wanted to be able to offer our guests an extraordinary experience," explains Kirk Wilson, general manager of the Lower East Side hotel. It's a rare example of an urban outdoor shower, which makes it all the more enticing.

For Alain de Botton, author of "The Architecture of Happiness," there is an almost primitive appeal to showering alfresco.

"Any time we take something we normally do indoors and do it out of doors, there is a thrill -- because it literally symbolizes a victory of the latent fears aroused by nature. So eating outside is more fun than in the kitchen, showering, sleeping and, of course, that other kind of sleeping too."

Outdoor showers certainly give you a chance to feel at one with nature, without roughing it.

At Hawaii's Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, outdoor showers take inspiration from their surroundings, incorporating lava rock and tropical plants. And while Arizona's L'Auberge de Sedona employs an astronomer, stargazing is infinitely more appealing from the vantage point of your own cedar-walled, roofless shower.

Read on for more luxurious and liberating outdoor hotel showers across the U.S.

Carneros Inn, Napa, California

Between the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma counties, your own private cottage waits at Carneros Inn.

The rustic-looking bungalows in muted colors (designed to blend in with the landscape) have rocking chairs on the front porches. Each has an indoor shower with multiple jets that open up to an open-air shower in the backyard, with views of the rolling fields.

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Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, Maine

The mantra at Hidden Pond is to slow down and relax, from the entry sign that encourages guests to "breathe deeply" to the names of the private accommodations (Lazy Days, Serenity).

These 36 luxurious cottages—with Frette linens, screened-in porches, indoor fireplaces and outdoor showers—are situated among 60 acres of balsam and birch trees, about a mile and a half from Goosefare Bay and the Atlantic.

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Dunton Hot Springs, Dunton, Colorado

An abandoned mining town was made over as Dunton Hot Springs, a collection of lovingly restored rough-hewn cabins in the wilderness near natural hot springs. Guests who stay in Echo Cabin can shower while soaking up views of the surrounding tree-covered San Juan Mountains.

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Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

When you arrive at the Four Seasons, you get an aloha, a lei and—if you booked a first-floor room in the two-story bungalows—an outdoor shower for freshening up.

The Big Island is known for volcanoes and tropical jungles, so it's fitting that the outdoor showers here incorporate lava rock along with orchids and tropical plants. You might even spot a lizard as you wash up.

Maritime Hotel, New York City

Large porthole windows are the most obvious of the nautical touches featured throughout the Maritime, a 1960s-era building designed by Albert C. Ledner for the National Maritime Union. The 126 cabin-like rooms feature dark teak accents and headboards of blue Japanese fabric.

Two terrace suites overlooking the Hudson River feature outdoor showers that practically dare guests to strip down and soap up in the open air of Chelsea.

Little Palm Island Resort, Little Torch Key, Florida

What could make a five-acre private island in the Florida Keys that's only accessible by boat or seaplane and was a favorite fishing spot for President Harry S. Truman even more exclusive?

Your own bamboo outdoor shower, where the quiet sounds of the island—rustling coconut palms and birdcalls—wash over you with the water.

All this and more at the Little Palm Island Resort.

Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, Texas

Named for the patron of music and poetry, Hotel Saint Cecilia brings a dose of rock-and-roll cool to a former Victorian mansion in Austin's South Congress district. Owner Liz Lambert's many creative touches include bold art installations and turntables in every room.

Suite One gives guests the star treatment with its crystal chandelier, claw-foot bathtub and bamboo-lined outdoor shower.

Miraval Resort and Spa, Tucson, Arizona

It's all about mind-body balance at Miraval, one of America's best all-inclusive resorts. You can challenge your body with activities like horseback riding, trail biking, or an obstacle course, including an option for the "Quantum Leap" (it involves jumping off a 25-foot platform).

Then you can feed your soul with meditation and yoga classes. Wash off the Sonoran desert dust in your LEED-certified villa's outdoor shower.

Tyron Farm Guest House B&B, Michigan City, Indiana

Drive 10 minutes from the south shore of Lake Michigan, and you'll reach Tyron Farm Guest House, a four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast. The former dairy farm is on 170 acres and heavy on rustic charm: knitted blankets, fresh flowers, hammocks, and a barn full of chickens and goats. When the weather is mild, you can get even closer to nature by scrubbing in the outdoor shower or the farmhouse's original 19th-century galvanized tin tub.

WaterColor Inn and Resort, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

On the Gulf of Mexico, WaterColor Inn has no shortage of opportunities for guests to enjoy the water, from complimentary kayaks to a restaurant overlooking the ocean. But the most memorable may be rinsing off the sugar-white sand from the dunes in the private outdoor cabana showers in the first-floor rooms.

See more of the coolest outdoor hotel showers.

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Most romantic movie locations

One of France's biggest wine producing regions, and the location of Johnny Depp film "Chocolat," Burgundy comes in 10th place on Travelzoo's list of romantic movie locations.

9. Bakewell, UK. Fancy living your own Jane Austen fantasy? You could head to the historic Chatsworth House in Bakewell, UK, where Matthew Macfadyen brought Mr. Darcy to life in "Pride & Prejudice."

8. Tokyo. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson did some soul searching -- not to mention flower arranging and whiskey shilling -- in "Lost in Translation."

7. Atlanta. Around Atlanta and nearby Clayton County, you can still visit some of the homes, plantations and museums attached to "Gone With the Wind," which scored Vivien Leigh an Oscar for Best Actress in 1939.

6. Halona Cove, Hawaii. Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr shared a passionate kiss in "From Here to Eternity" in Halona Cove on the island of Oahu. The steamy scene was shot more than 60 years ago, but the cove's white sand and clear blue water are as gorgeous as ever.

5. Wicklow Mountains, Ireland. Rolling green hills and flowing rivers made for exquisite backdrops in romantic comedy "P.S. I Love You." A serenading Gerard Butler didn't hurt either.

4. Rome. Trevi Fountain was a worthy co-star in "Roman Holiday," the first American film to be shot entirely in Italy. From the Spanish Steps to the Pantheon, couples today can still follow in the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck

3. New York. Star-crossed lovers Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan finally meet in New York in "Sleepless in Seattle." The famous rendezvous was set at the Empire State Building.

2. Paris. Couples can experience the romantic atmosphere of Paris, as Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy did in the Oscar-nominated "Before Sunset," by strolling through the streets or taking a sunset boat ride along the Seine.

1. Ngong Hills, Kenya. With its African backdrop, award-winning soundtrack and still-debated Redford-Streep chemistry experiment, Academy Award Best Picture winner "Out of Africa" put Ngong Hills in Kenya on top of the list.

• TravelZoo's list of romantic movie sites takes in almost eight decades of film history


• Kenya's Ngong Hills grabs the top spot with "Out of Africa"


• London? Venice? San Francisco? Rio? Nope.

(CNN) -- Time to make some popcorn, light a few candles and fire up the flatscreen -- to celebrate National Kissing Day on July 6, travel website Travelzoo has released a list of the world's top 10 romantic movie locations.

There will plenty to quibble with, of course, especially given the absence of cities traditionally associated with romance -- San Francisco, Venice and the entire continent of South America got snubbed.

Unspoiled scenery, natural beauty and the Oscar-winning "Out of Africa" helped Kenya's Ngong Hills grab the top spot on the list.

Paris ranks second after Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy made sparks in "Before Sunset."

The setting for the ultimate smooch scene between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in "Sleepless in Seattle," New York takes third.

The movie's title town didn't get the call -- sorry, Seattle, Travelzoo apparently likes you, just not in that way.

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10 most romantic movie locations (according to Travelzoo)

1. Ngong Hills, Kenya -- "Out of Africa"

2. Paris -- "Before Sunset"

3. New York -- "Sleepless in Seattle"

4. Rome -- "Roman Holiday"

5. Wicklow Mountains, Ireland -- "P.S. I Love You"

6. Halona Cove, Hawaii -- "From Here to Eternity"

7. Atlanta -- "Gone With the Wind"

8. Tokyo -- "Lost in Translation"

9. Bakewell, UK -- "Pride & Prejudice"

10. Burgundy, France -- "Chocolat"

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Have your own favorite romantic destination? Tell us about it in the comment section.