Aerospace Industry News

A number of potential problem areas have been identified and member companies have been asked to indicate what bearing these have on their business prospects.

Meanwhile work is continuing on the analysis of the information which has been obtained as a result of the visits made to member companies by a team from the Association, the Council and the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce.

Overseas Visitors

Two most welcome visitors from kindred overseas associations have recently visited Australia.

Sir John Curtiss, Executive Director of the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) was able to meet with a group of Sydney and Canberra based members and Government officials during a private visit he made to this country. In thanking AAAL for making the opportunity for him to do this, he said he had developed an appreciation about the way the industry here in Australia had progressed in the very short time since his last Contact with it. He saw benefit in continued interaction between the British and Australian industry and noted the large number of Australian companies with British connections.

Mr Hiromichi Tanaka, the General Manager, International Affairs Division of the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies (SJAC) also visited Australia on a fact finding mission on behalf of SJAC members. He was able to visit a number of companies and have talks with industry and government aerospace leaders. His visit resulted from contact between AAAI and SJAC which commenced at the Paris Air Show last year and was fostered at the meeting of the International Council of the Aerospace Industries Association of America in October last year and when the Executive Director AAAI addressed SJAC members at a seminar they had organised during the Asian Aerospace “88 Air Show at Singapore in January 1988. Mr Tanaka, noting the growing internationalisation of the aerospace industry, foresaw considerable joint activity for the Australian and Japanese industries. He pointed out that the Japanese industry had targeted the Asia/Pacific region for particular export effort and saw joint ventures as a way to achieve their export ambitions.

New Civil Offset Guidelines

The new guidelines for civil offsets have been received as mixed blessings by the Australian aerospace industry. While most recognise and agree with the thrust of the new guidelines towards those initiatives likely to help us to build for the future, there is some concern that the benefits may prove to be less tangible than many of the proponents of the new guidelines may be claiming. Generally, however, the aerospace industry is adopting a positive approach to the new guidelines with the expectation that they will be implemented with a good knowledge of the industry which comes from the close contact between DITAC and the Association which is developing.

Bicentennial Air Show

Arrangements for the AAAI presence at the Bicentennial Air Show are well advanced, AAAI will join the ‘Corporate Australia display with the Commonwealth Government. Individual Australian companies will be grouped in close proximity to one another and to the ‘Corporate Australia’ area so that overseas visitors are given a good understanding of the breadth and scope of the Australian aerospace industry.