Asian Aerospace is the first major airshow to feature BAE Systems as a single entity from the outset. (The purchase by British Aerospace of Marconi Electronic Systems late last year happened during the Langkawi show in Malaysia). Sir Charles Masefield, group managing director, spoke about the organisation's plans, including its intention to turn traditional British management style on its head.

Q: Your main aims or themes at Asian Aerospace?

We've decided our success will be driven very largely by our success on perhaps the top 10 or 12 major projects. So we've plucked out 10 to 12 top managers who, because of the old culture, tended to be running businesses and put them in charge of the key programmes.

I suspect the next piece of European industry to consolidate will be Italy. Undoubtedly in the not too distant future there will be the beginnings of transatlantic consolidation.

In air forces, more and more can be done on the ground rather than in the aircraft, although I can't foresee air forces sub-contracting flying and fighting. Airlines in future will be the people who actually sell the tickets and provide cabin crew and sub-contract everything else, up to and including flying the aircraft.

Source: Flight Daily News

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