Aerospace CEOs discuss joint approach to environment, air traffic management, and other key issues

Industry leadersfrom the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) and the Aerospace Industries Association of America (AIA) reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate on a wide variety of issues during an annual meeting at the 2011 Paris Airshow.

“Aircraft manufacturers are very serious about reducing aviation’s environmental impacts,” Jim Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said. “We’ve made remarkable progress on sustainable aviation biofuels and we’re working with regulators on a first-ever CO2 efficiency standard for new production aircraft.”

Aerospace CEOs met on the upper deck of Boeing's 747-8I

AIA and ASD vowed to support ICAO’s efforts towards reducing civil aviation CO2 emissions 50 percent compared to 2005 levels by the year 2050. They affirmed the primacy of such global approaches vs. regional or national market based measures. In support of ongoing collaboration with the global stakeholder community (airlines, airports, and air navigation service providers), both American and European manufacturers agreed to ensure understanding among regulators of the critical role they will play in CO2 reduction.

Commercially viable, drop-in biofuels will play a large role in CO2 reduction and both groups are working towards that goal with their respective members. “To develop the use of biofuels in aviation, our industry and public authorities need to work hand in hand,” Domingo Ureña-Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military declared. “Incentives should be granted to scale upproduction infrastructures and programmes, and to encourage the use of biofuels by airlines. We also need to increase our investment in research and development in this field,” he added.

Another issue discussed during the CEO Dialogue was air traffic management (ATM) interoperability and modernization. Participants in the meeting agreed that greater efforts and resources from governments would greatly contribute to the achievement of these goals and would yield considerable environmental, economic and efficiency benefits.

CEOs also affirmed the need for global procedures for aircraft operations during volcanic activity just as with other meteorological events. Absent that, an operator-centric approach focused on avoiding visible ash is necessary.

Areas of future cooperation will include the preparation of a position paper on common defense industrial base and workforce challenges, the formal launch of the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct by AIA and ASD, and collaborative effortsto promote export control reforms and limited liability provisions in key markets for manufacturers of homeland security technology.

Industry leaders at the meeting included:

ASD:
Domingo Ureña Raso, President of ASD and CEO of Airbus Military
Klaus Eberhardt, President Elect of ASD and CEO of Rheinmetall
Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, Past President of ASD and Chairman of Finmeccanica
Michael von Gizycki, Secretary-General, ASD

AIA:
James F. Albaugh, Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President and Chief Executive Officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes
David P. Hess, Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and President of Pratt & Whitney, United Technologies Corporation
Scott C. Donnelly, Past Chairman of the Board of Governors of AIA and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Textron Inc.
Marion C. Blakey, President and CEO of AIA

AMI Metals recognized as top supplier

New AIA Associate Member AMI Metals held a reception Tuesday to celebrate being named Supplier of the Year in the Common Aerospace Commodities category by The Boeing Company.

n January, AMI Metals was notified that it was one of 558 companies to receive the Boeing Performance Excellence Award which rewards performance excellence. Achieving the Supplier of the Year designation further acknowledges superior performance and labels AMI Metals as best of the best.

Boeing’s supply chain includes more than 17,500 companies in 52 countries around the world.

For more information on the Boeing Supplier of the Year award, including a video from the award recipient, visit http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2011/q2/110519a_nr_suppliers_video.html

Room with a view

At the AIA Chalet, we have one of the best views of the air show:

The Intercontinental configuration of Boeing's 747-8 is made its international debut at the air show, and has generated tremendous enthusiasm from the media and potential customers. The aircraft is now parked directly across the tarmac from our front entrance, making a perfect backdrop for meetings and watching the aerial displays.

U.S. ambassador welcomes aerospace industry to Paris

The U.S. Ambassador to France opened his home to members of the aerospace industry the first night of the Paris Air Show. Ambassador Charles Rivkin, the youngest ambassador in nearly 60 years to serve as the U.S.’s senior representative in France, welcomed one of the most impressive groups of aerospace industry experts ever gathered in the same place.

Ambassador Rivkin greets guests at the U.S. Residence

The reception, a recurring highlight at the Paris Air Show, included over 1,600 members of the aerospace industry, government delegations and military officials.

Ambassador Rivkin congratulated U.S. exhibitors at the show, saying, “The level of technology on display, as I said this morning at the inauguration of the U.S. Pavilion, is a testimony to American ingenuity and innovation. I speak in the name of the entire Embassy, when I say we are proud to support your companies in their efforts to connect with existing industry partners and foster new business relationships.”

Well over 1,600 guests attended the reception

Ambassador Rivkin thanked AIA for organizing the event, noting, “AIA helps uphold the standard of excellence throughout the U.S. aerospace and defense industry. Its members, who embody every high-technology manufacturing segment of this industry, are at the forefront of innovation, delivering new technologies that set the bar for all others.”

Paris Air Show officially opens amid ceremonies and strong expectations

The U.S. Pavilion officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday morning. The U.S. is the largest national group after the French, occupying nearly two football fields-worth of booths and displays of the latest aerospace technologies.

The U.S. contingency in Paris anticipates doing brisk business this week, with numerous orders expected. There are 217 U.S. companies exhibiting in the U.S. Pavilion including 39 AIA member companies and 13 State agencies.

A new addition to the Pavilion in 2011 is the Alternative Fuels Aviation Showcase, a joint project between Kallman Worldwide and SIAE featuring 20 supplier companies supported by six major airlines and a number of international government agencies and trade associations.

The opening ceremony included Senator Inouye, Air Force Secretary Donley, U.S. Ambassador to France Rifken, Secretary of Transportation LaHood and others.