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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 0005.PDF
EDITORIAL UK Editorial Enquiries Editorial Fax Editor Allan Winn Editor's PA Barbara Raine Deputy Editor Forbes Mutch News Editor Andrew Chuter Operations/Safety Editor David Learmount Business Editor Kevin O'Toole Commercial Aviation Editor Kieran Daly Defence Aviation Editor Douglas Barrie Technology and Industry Editor Simon Elliott +44 (81) 652 3838 Aviation Research Editor Jennifer Pite +44 (81) 652 3847 Editorial Assistant Kate Sarsfield Production Editor Chris Thornton Design Editor Mike Wells Layout Sub-Editor Annabel Wells Technical Artist Tim Hall Technical Artist David Hatchard Technical Artist Giuseppe Picarella Spaceflight Correspondent Tim Furniss Photographer (Europe) Mark Wagner EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST European Editor Julian Moxon +44(81)6523842 +44(81)6523840 +44(81)652 3882 +44(81)652 3882 +44(81)652 3852 +44(81)652 3843 +44(81)652 3845 +44(81)652 3835 +44(81)652 3837 +44(81)652 3834 +44(81)652 3842 +44(81)6523850 +44(81)6523828 +44(81)652 3848 +44(81)6528047 +44(81)6528047 +44(81)6528054 +44(237)451756 +44(81)944 5225 COMMENr +33(1)46 2947 61 [Fax+33 (1)46 29 47 49] Munich Correspondent Andrzej Jeziorski +49 (89) 6891041 [Fax+49 (89) 6891045] Paris Correspondent Gilbert Sedbon +33 (1) 48 25 52 61 Israel Correspondent Arie Egozi +972 (3) 9671155 Moscow Correspondent +7(095)3934717 Alexander Velovich [Fax +7 (095) 393 4717] AMERICAS American Editor Graham Warwick +1 (404) 587 2927 [Fax +1 (404) 5941534] Washington Correspondent Ramon Lopez +1 (703) 836 7443 [Fax+1(703) 836 8344] West Coast Correspondent Guy Norris +1 (714) 252 8971 [Fax+1(714) 252 8972] ASM PACIFIC Asian Editor (Singapore) Paul Lewis Australian Correspondent Paul Phelan +65 2263188 [Fax+65 2271769] +61 (70) 532 791 [Fax+61 (70) 533 003] DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT SALES UK and EUROPE Display Advertising Enquiries +44 (81) 652 3315 Display Advertising Fax +44 (81) 652 8981 Group Advertisement Manager +44 (81) 652 3319 Trevor Parker IRELAND, ISRAEL, UK Deputy Advertisement Manager +44 (81) 652 3892 Nick Wilcox EAST EUROPE, GERMANY, SCANDINAVIA, UK Senior Area Manager Robin Gordon +44 (81) 652 4998 NETHERLANDS, PORTUGAL, SPAIN, UK Area Manager Janice Lowe +44 (81) 652 3316 Secretary Lisa Devlin +44(81)6523315 Advertisement Production Display/Classified +44 (81) 652 3267 Howard Mason FRANCE Sales Director France Pierre Mussard +33(1)46294629 [Fax+33 (1)40 93 93 37] +39(2)66034435 [Fax+39 (2) 6603 4367] +1(714)7561057 [Fax+1(714) 756 2514] +1(703)8367444 [Fax+1(703) 836 7446] +1(708)3045588 [Fax+1(708) 304 9559] +1(212)5455376 [Fax+1(212) 679 9455] +44(81)652 3892 +44(81)6524998 +81(3)32342161 [Fax+81 (3) 32341143] ASM, AUSTRALIA Singapore Account Manager Karen Kwan +65 226 3188 [Fax+65 223 6960] CLASSIFIED & RECRUITMENT Advertisement Manager Gareth Pask +44 (81) 652 4814 International Sales Executives MoButtivant +44(81)7703032 Judith Slann +44 (81) 770 3011 Classified Sales Executives Valerie Hall +44(81)7703010 Liz Houghton +44(81)7703002 Colin Hampden +44(81)7703030 Raymond Berry +44 (81) 770 3027 Enquiries +44(81)6616373 Classified USA Gail Tavelman +1 (212) 545 5376 Classified Asia/Pacific Karen Kwan +65 226 3188 Publisher Gavin Howe +44(81)652 3675 ITALY Representative Romano Ferrario NORTH AMERICA Vice-president US Sales John Tidy Fax Sales Director East Coast Robert Hancock Sales Director Mid-West & Canada Gene Glendinning Traffic Manager Debbie Kolb AFRICA Nick Wilcox MIDDLE EAST Robin Gordon JAPAN Representative Shoichi Maruyama PRACTICAL FUDGING The UK Government's decision late in 1994 both to buy Lockheed C-130Js for the Royal Air Force and to opt back into supporting the European Future Large Aircraft (FLA pro gramme) might look like a typically British fudge. Surprisingly, in view of the UK's long record of fudge- making, however, it was the only practical decision to make. Celebrations, how ever, should not break out too enthusiasti cally on either side of the Atlantic. The UK decision boosts the short-term prospects for both pro grammes, but, on its own, it cannot guar antee long-term suc cess for either. If the UK Govern ment is to be believed, there is a potential RAF order for 40-50 FLAs. That means that the type is seen as a potential replacement for die RAF's other tanker/transports, as well as for me current C-130. If that is the case, then there will be consider able pressure on die FLA consortium to make the FLA as fast an aircraft as possible, with as long a range as possible. Other applications being canvassed for die FLA include the possi bility of its being used as the platform for the replacement for die BAe Nimrod maritime- patrol aircraft, which would need massive range and loiter-time on-station. Such performance demands, however, could further confound a market already confused over just what die FLA should be and how it should be powered. The original C-130 Hercules was launched with an order (and funding) from the US Air Force, against a very specific requirement. The C-130J has been launched with orders from the RAF and die USAF, again to a very specific requirement. The FLA, however, remains an idea for which there is some Government backing, but, as yet, no specific requirement from any of die eight sponsor governments. (It makes an interesting contrast with 1994's odier military-transport debutante, the Russian- funded, Ukrainian-developed Antonov An-70, which was flown at the end of die year.) The C-130J is being built by what is about to become die world's largest defence contractor — "The FLA, almost by definition, will be a better product than the C-130J when it arrives on the market." Lockheed Martin — backed by a 36-company- strong industrial support group in die UK and coundess otiier contractors around die world. It has a strong parent, which could afford to devel op it (this time) without Government funding, and is selling to a will ing export customer ^^^^^^^^^^ on die strength of huge offsets. The C-130J pro gramme is now, essen tially, a commercial one, even if most of die customers are gov ernments buying the aircraft for military purposes. The FLA programme is still, essentially, a political one, sponsored by governments whose primary interest lies in maintaining a Euro pean aerospace indus try. The military customer is, in some ways, die excuse for die FLA programme rather than the driver. That does not diminish the relevance of the FLA, nor does it necessarily cast doubt on its ultimate worthiness. The FLA, almost by defi nition, will be a better product than the C-l 30J when it finally arrives on the market: if it were not, there would be no justification for it. Now, more tiian ever, however, having a good product is no guarantee of market success. Marketing strengtii and financial muscle count for far more, and it is here that Lockheed Martin has real advantages. Although many of die individual companies involved widi die FLA have considerable defence expertise, few have recent experience of selling tactical military transports, or in making large profits. In con trast, Lockheed has, for the last 30 years, been the dominant Western supplier of military transports of all types. A lack of previous market presence is not necessarily a barrier to success, as Airbus Industrie has proved — but it has taken Airbus more than 20 years to reach its present posi tion of being able to challenge Boeing for air liner-sales leadership. If the FLA is to achieve true market success, it will have to sell to a wide export market, against the smaller, older, but ubiquitous, Hercules. That battle will make the breakthrough achieved in getting the UK Government back on board seem like a trivial achievement in comparison. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4 - 10 January 1995 3
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