In 2017, as with every other year since I began editing Aerospace Manufacturing, the same parallels connecting the cyclical nature of the global aerospace industry and the way its fortunes roar up the runway, only to hit some turbulence still exist.
In the highly-competitive commercial aviation industry, along with the unprecedented order backlogs, Airbus and Boeing continued to fight it out with incremental modifications to some of their tried and trusted product offerings. New engines, new composite wings, even new wingtips - anything you can do, I can do better!
Unfortunately, ‘do better’ now extends beyond technological innovation into the law courts. Witness last October’s trade dispute between Boeing and Bombardier over alleged below-cost selling of Bombardier’s C Series passenger airliner. Boeing moved to explain its motives surrounding the US trade case, which almost came across as an apology, but at least it made its feelings known, i.e. there’s just not enough love to go around for yet another competing airliner.
And yet, we need to keep building more aircraft because they create more jobs, skills and welcome young people into the industry. The reality is that there needs to be engineering jobs available for young people in the first place. BAE Systems’ Eurofighter and Hawk-related job losses announcement – also last October – will hardly have filled the parents of these aspiring young engineers-in-waiting with much confidence that a long career awaits!
No-one has a crystal ball to predict exactly what will happen over the next twelve months, but hopefully this issue will inform, illuminate and help guide you safely along the road to success. Here’s wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2018.
Mike Richardson, editor
