Aircraft Manufacturing

[Guest]

I am sure this question has been asked before.
Why are there not any new British aircraft being designed/produced in the UK????
Having red the June edition of the LAA mag, with the article on new aircraft on display at Aero 2010 in Friedrichshafen even the tiny principality of Liechtenstein was represented at with the new SC07 Speed Cruiser from B.O.T.

Is it the bureaucracy thats involved to get up an running?
Is it the sternness of the LAA to not let things fly? (There are many types that fly all over Europe but cannot fly here unless redesigned)
Is Health and Safety an issue?

We have the talent and the production expertise, so what the problem.

[macconnacher]

It has been asked every year since I joined in 1969. Then the question was why do the French and the Americans have more available designs than we do.
We have had successes Taylor Monoplane, Europa, issacs fury etc.

Lack of an Experimental category is the main reason and a UK reluctance to take risks?

[Rod1]

The problem is the CAA not the LAA. As we move into a Europe with a level playing field things might improve.

Rod1

[Alan Kilbride]

Level playing field?........Europe?



Good one Rod

[Bob F]

Alan, You could be right but the chances are, level or not, any kind of field in the EU will be full of cows - Common Agricultural Policy is far more important than a Common Aviation Policy. Both initialled CAP but one has an "R" missing.

[G.Dawes]

I think that this has been the problem in the UK for years now and it is the QUANGO mentality that has developed , where it is the imperative that the population is controlled to a macro extent. The god safety is always used when ever another 'freedom' is removed.
I want to build a house, I need to get permission form planners (pay), a design approved under building control (pay), certified ISO suppliers of materials, certified (pay) contractors for electrics gas , heating and even solar water heating, all these people need to be qualified to operate(pay) I need to have these qualified workers inspected( pay) Most of these jobs I can/ Could do but now the huge amount of new regulations that appear are for some vested interest or perceived benefit. Whilst some are very good ideas others are not but it still make me unable to do them, unless I pay. They even wanted a flood plan done although I'm up the hill , all because the authoritative Environment plan was drawn by a blue line across the map regardless of the actual water source size. All these items are to protect me but have actually worked very ( totally) by stopping me from doing it.
How many aircraft companies are there in the UK actually producing an end product. Never mind it must be planned that, along with the rest of productiveness that this country HAD, is was to be consigned to the waste bin.
What we need is a really powerful financial industry that will support the country and never go wrong (SIC).
any one else want to stir the forum up???
Graham

[Brian Hope]

A perfect country we may not have, but rather than live your life feeling angry and downtrodden, why not wake up each day and think 'Thank god I wasn't born in Zimbabwe, Ethiopia of one of countless other places in the world where downtrodden comes well down the list after hungry, ill, homeless, frightened etc.... Life in the good 'ol UK might not seem quite so tiresome then.

[Gerry Holland]

Brian Hi!
Early riser this morning!
I dont think Graham was sounding down trodden albeit the end result feels that way based on the legislation and rule making made here and from Europe. Something must be different with us that a range of countries, some very small manage to produce great light aircraft which ironically we like and are happy to buy here. Our rules in the main allow their importation so why cant we create similar here? Although we have some manufacturing capability and success the demise of general engineering and associated skills is and will continue to free fall as we seem to think a serviced based economy is king. I don't believe France and Germany along with other European countries sees it the same way. Until making things becomes predominate over making (latterly losing) money and gambling on 'futures' nothing will or can change.
IMHO
Regards
Gerry

[Nick Allen]

Maybe the bright and motivated engineering folk here in the UK find a happier home/career in sportscars, motorsport and allied industries.

[Guest]

Paul, interesting post. I think that the bureaucracy has been put in place to generate more employment without thinking of the ultimate cost, the death of manufacturing.

Graham, hang on in there, dont let the b******* grind you down!

Gerry, you have hit the nail on the head.
Unfortunatelly these gamblers and speculators are making life harder for the majority. But that should be another topic.

[David]

Brian just a brief point you should try visiting Ethiopia before you compare it to Zimbabwe. Live Aid was a long time ago, the country is poor and still has problems but it is also an extraordinarily beautifull country with an an incredibly positive proud dignified population.
Google Lalibela, Axum, Simien Mountains, Gelada baboons, Gondar, Awash religion and many more things as well. Ethiopia is the largest beef producer in Africa and has Africa's oldest airline as well and nice coffee

David Prentice

[Brian Hope]

Point taken David. Gerry I couldn't agree more. As somebody who left school and did a mechanical engineering apprentice it has been very sad to see so much of Britain's engineering heritage destroyed in the name of progress. Give it a couple more generations and we wont even have the inventive talent left.

[G.Dawes]

Nice to see that it took TWO days before Brian came in and put two boots down my throat. Almost the same as he does seem to Welshman. You would almost think that I was attacking him and not the Quangos of this country, which is what I was writing about. They are after all there for creating super well paid jobs for the Rich and famous. The new chairman of the CAA is a good example and how many permit fees does it take to give the part-time new chairperson that much, for a few visits a month. After all the head of food safety is a really good qualification for the head of the Civil aviation body of the country, and the local coroner of Dover was GIVEN a job as head of Airfield policy and went on to say'I don't know what the job is about at all, I know nothing about aviation' but it didn't stop him from taking it. Another example is the recent OFCOM debacle why are they involved in control of something that isn't their remit.
People complain that it is the EEC that causes difficulty, but when an edict come from them, it is an A4 sheet, but when we get it is a telephone directory all dotted and crossed by the government lawyers.
That is what I was on about, THE MACRO CONTROL.
Graham

[Brian Hope]

Hi Graham, you are of course entitled to whatever view you wish to take, I was simply pointing out that life's a lot better to deal with if you consider that your glass is half full rather than half empty. I cannot recall any of your posts that have done anything other than moan about something. Personally I find such an attitude too tiring to contemplate.