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She flies... but for how long?
5 News
Events
The sound of the much-delayed Airbus A400M’s turboprop engines
12 Off to a flying start! – AeroEngineering 09 review
finally roaring into life last month was quickly replaced by the rattling
14 Asia’s biggest for aviation’s finest –
of sabres in the corridors of power as the aircraft OEM and national
Singapore Airshow
governments ushered in the New Year with a blazing row.
Special report
Earlier this month, Airbus announced it was considering scrapping
16 Our industry needs you! – Aero-skills
the programme because of disagreements over costs with the seven
panel session
European NATO buyers, including Britain, signed up to buy the aircraft.
Airbus owner, EADS now wants the governments to provide more Aerospace clusters
funding for the airlifter, which is at least three years overdue – and 18 United as one – Spanish aerospace cluster report
over budget – and has become increasingly concerned that the impact
of the crisis will affect its civil aviation business. Furthermore, it is
Composites
now threatening to transfer engineering resources to its next big civil
23 Taking carbon fibre to new heights – Design
challenge, the A350 XWB.
& development
The danger here is that a cancellation would pose a major threat
Technology Feature
to thousands of engineering jobs throughout Europe, with wings,
26 Going chrome-free – Engines
composite parts and engines, in particular, currently being designed
and manufactured in the UK by Airbus, GKN and Rolls-Royce workers.
Metallics
Airbus is leaning on these governments to get the best possible
28 Axes of accuracy – Machining
revised deal, but the big question is whether the project has come too
31 A change of heart – Machining
far for both parties to allow it to fail? The most likely outcome is that
they will patch up their differences, blow a lot of hot air in the process,
34 Industry Roundup
but put their swords away.
Final Approach
Let’s hope there is a swift and peaceful resolution to
38 Now more than ever – Sameer Savani,
the disagreement and we can all look forward to the
Aerospace & Defence KTN’s operations manager
New Year with a little more hope and confidence.
Next issue: Lockheed Martin F-35, Simulation
& visualisation, Composites manufacturing processes,
Tooling, Interconnect, Supply chain: obsolescence,
Aerostructures, UAVs, Aerospace cluster report:
MIkE RIChARdSON | EdITOR
Netherlands
newsdesk@aero-mag.com
Editorial
Volume 5 Issue 34
CirCulation and suBsCriPtions
Editor | Mike Richardson | newsdesk@aero-mag.com Circulation manager | John Slayman | circulation@aero-mag.com
associate Editor | Simon Lott | slott@mitpublishing.co.uk database research | The Jamieson Consultancy | www.jamieson-consultancy.net
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advErtisEmEnt salEs
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AEROSPACEMANUFACTURING | jANUARy 2010 3
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