The comments in Tim Hodgson's letter (Flight International, 15-21 January) in connection with the UK civil aerospace industry's failure to produce commercially viable aircraft, seem harsh. The UK has produced successful civil aircraft, including the BAe 146/Avro RJ/RJX itself (almost 400 sold), the BAe 125 business jet (1,100 and counting), the BAe 748 and, as Mr Hodgson rightly mentioned, the Vickers Viscount and BAC One-Eleven (over 440 and 240 units sold respectively).
The commercial failure of the Hawker Siddeley Trident and VC10 was entirely due to the fact that they were tailored to the nationalised airlines' narrow requirements, which was a mistake. We must not forget that, had the UK government launched the BAC Three-Eleven widebody in 1970, it is most likely that the UK would still be a key player in the large transport category.
The Airbus A300B owes a lot to Hawker Siddeley's HBN100 project, which was adopted as the basis for the first Airbus. Hawker Siddeley itself, in 1967, had proposed the HS134 - a twin-engine 210-seater which was almost a predecessor of the Boeing 757 - but did not get any government support.
Apart from the Aerospatiale Caravelle, France's commercial successes prior to Airbus were even fewer than the UK's. The difference is that, while France believes in fostering a strong civil aircraft industry, the UK decision-makers have not and still do not.
Contrary to what Mr Hodgson suggests, UK industry has demonstrated its capability to develop successful airliners, but has been let down by successive governments.
Graziano Freschi
Twickenham, UKSource: Flight International
