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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0085.PDF
AIAA calls for US Government help |rWASHINGTON D.C. The Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIAA) has asked the US Government to help its general-aviation industry to remain competitive in the international marketplace. An AIAA study concludes that "government and indus try must be mutually supportive" if manufacturers are to compete against other countries which are alleged to subsidise their aircraft producers. General aviation in the USA operates four out of five of the world's business, corporate, and private air craft. Annual production. of such aircraft has fallen dramatically over the past five years. From a peak of 17,811 sales in 1978, sales plummeted to fewer than 3,000 in 1983, a performance documented by the Flight monthly record of US shipments as reported by the US General Aviation Manufacturers Association. AIAA says that billings in the same period climbed from $1,820 million to $2,900 million before falling to $1,400 million. "Inflation, high interest rates, and the economic recession of 1981-83 are major reasons for the decline in US [general-aviation aircraft] •The US Private, Business, and Light Transport Industry; its development, world market, and foreign competition. Available from Aerospace Industries Association of America (1725 DeSales St. NW, Washing ton, D.C. 20036, USA; tel (202) 429-4659). production, but this study points out that increasing foreign competition poses a significant threat to recov ery," says AIAA president Karl Harr. According to the report, the recent upturn in the US economy and the expected continuing increase in corporate profits and capital spending will spur some improvement in US general- aviation production. Exports, which historically have constituted up to 30 per cent of the total GA market in the United States, are expected to have fallen to less than 15 per cent when figures for 1984 are confirmed. AIAA predicts that US exports will continue to be hit hard by price disadvantages; these are seen as being a result of the strong dollar, the strengthening position of [overseas] government-sub sidised airframe and engine manufacturers, and of barriers to market access in "numerous" countries. The technological lead enjoyed in previous years by US companies has eroded, says Harr. Consequently, US domestic and export markets will continue to be affected: "Government and industry must work together in placing greater emphasis on research and development so [that America] can stay ahead of [non-American] producers receiving support [from their governments]," says Harr. In most countries with a general-aviation manufactur ing industry, the government owns all or part of the indus try, or provides direction and encourages industrial consoli dation that would be illegal in the USA, claims AIAA. The organisation cites Canada as a prime example. That coun try's Government acquired Canadair in 1976, assumed loans to the company totalling $1,350 million, and "has provided cash infusions of $200 million (1982), $240 million (1983), and $310 million (1984)". General-aviation produc tion appeals to non-American countries because they can go it alone, AIAA suggests, "mobilising resources and skills for the development, production, and marketing of the smaller and relatively lower-cost aircraft". Each sector of the GA mar ket—which AIAA identify as private and business turboprops—has suffered injury-by-competition (as the organisation puts it): "All are in danger through a combina tion of US technology erosion and foreign government subsidisation." The AIAA recommends that several steps be taken by the US Government and general-aviation industry to regain "the traditional US place" in the GA market. Industry should maintain adequate levels of research investment, increase capital investment to improve pro ductivity, stimulate innova- Barclays Bank International subsidiary Barcair has introduced this Westwind, which is based in Barbados. Apart from supporting the bank's Caribbean operation, it is available for charter. The Westwind replaces a Citation ? %?~%m :*v* « satis 'FLIGHT International, 12 January 1985 r BUSINESS AVIATION tion, enhance product quality, and effect lower unit cost, says the organisation. For its part, the US Government should adopt policies to reduce the strength of the dollar, provide incen tives for research and devel opment (by way of tax credits), strengthen export incentives, provide competi tive export financing (by strengthening the Export- Import Bank), and set up a consistent policy concerning the restrictions on technology exports. "AIAA proposals are designed to create a cohesive [US] national policy which addresses the need to export." ROTARY BRIEFS Cleveland's Metropolitan General Hospital has put two new Aerospatiale AS.350Bs into EMS service. One replaces an existing AS.350B which the hospital has used since the inception of its EMS helicopter service in September 1982. The new aircraft are handling about three calls a day. They are equipped with a fore and aft sliding/pivoting litter system, a second stowable litter for two-patient capability, a dual oxygen system, an overhead defibrillator mount, medical suction and compressed air systems, fresh air condition ing, 110V AC power, and the Wulfsberg communications system which allows commu nications with police, fire, and hospital bases. The service is called Metro Life Flight, and serves 40 hospitals within a 100-mile radius. Some 95 per cent of Metro Life Flight's work is hospital transfers, the rest being responses to acci dents. Medi-Flight of Modesto's Memorial Hospital has replaced its Alouette III with a TwinStar, equipped with a Sperry single-pilot IFR system. The TwinStar was chosen because many flights are conducted at night over water, and others are made to hot and high areas. About 70 per cent of operations are accident responses. Tokyo's Fire Department has flown more than 20,000hr over the Japanese capital with its fleet of Aerospatiale helicopters, which includes three Alouette Ills, a Puma, and a Dauphin. 13
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