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Purpose – The purpose of the chapter is to sketch the historical and evolutionary development of the Wichita Aircraft Manufacturing Cluster from inception to present and provide a descriptive narrative of aircraft industry knowledge spillovers currently driving effort to establish a Medical Device Manufacturing Cluster. The chapter illustrates how carbon-fiber composite materials knowledge and technology developed for use in the aviation industry is facilitating the creation and growth of medical device manufacturing.

Methodology/approach – We use an historical case study approach to trace the development of the aircraft cluster in the Wichita, KS metropolitan area. A number of technologies are identified that had initially been adopted by one firm but eventually diffused through other firms in the local cluster and ultimately throughout the industry.

Findings – In addition to providing examples of within industry knowledge spillovers, we provide an example of technology-based knowledge that is diffusing through the aircraft manufacturing industry and is now being used as the basis for establishing an unrelated industry manufacturing cluster. The use of carbon-fiber composites in aircraft manufacturing has diffused from one manufacturer to many in the industry. Subsequently, the knowledge base surrounding carbon-fiber composite materials is being used in a local R&D effort to create a second manufacturing cluster producing medical devices ranging from surgical instruments to joint-replacement implants.

Originality/value of paper – The chapter illustrates a unique example of a manufacturing cluster, intra-industry knowledge spillovers, and inter-industry knowledge spillovers to create a new manufacturing cluster.

Boeing has been a pioneer in the utilization of strategic alliances with the Japanese in the design and production of aircraft. This strategy has been driven by the escalating costs of airframe and engine design and manufacture, and the significant competition of Airbus as well as domestic competitors in the global aircraft market. Boeing's alliances with Japan have worked well with several families of aircraft and appear to have produced a loyal customer; however, there have been sharp criticisms of Boeing for the closeness of its association with Japan. These criticisms have largely been aimed at the danger posed by unintentional and unavoidable transfer of aerospace technology. This paper examines the history of Boeing's Japanese coalitions, the benefits, and the dangers posed by Boeing's continued aerospace partnership with one of America's largest economic foes.

This paper reviews the growth of the Brazilian aircraft industry, and evaluates the strategic choices and government policies that have influenced its development. Brazil's goals of military independence, technological development and improvement of its balance of payments have influenced the development path chosen and the requirements for success. Brazil's attempts to overcome the barriers to achieving technological competence, cost competitiveness, market acceptance and financial sustainability are described. It is argued that the government has played a crucial role in providing financial resources and a protected domestic market, but that it has allowed the key enterprise, Embraer, to maintain an emphasis on commercial viability and international competitiveness. Embraer's emphasis on product niches where it has potential competitive advantages has been a key to its success. It is argued that a clear competitive strategy, based on a thorough analysis to the key success factors in the industry, is a vital link between government goals and support and international competitive success.

The following extracts from the Plowden Committee's report on the aircraft industry cover the conclusions and summary of recommendations made by the Committee, and includes the reservation by Mr Aubrey Jones. Excerpts from some of the earlier chapters, discussing the environment in which the industry operates and its history, are also given, together with the first three chapters of Section 4] on ‘The Case for an Aircraft Industry’. The text is slightly abridged in some places. The full report, Command 2853, is obtainable at 10s. from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

following extracts from the Plowden Committee's report on the aircraft industry cover the ing chapters of ‘The Case for an Aircraft ry’ and gives excerpts from later chapters ning the market and collaboration prospects, y procurement, and the future for civil aircraft. In conclusion, the major part of Section 10 relationship between Government and Industry’ n. The full report, Command 2853, is ob‐le at 10s. from Her Majesty's Stationery

Marketing and corporate risk‐taking are always included as elements of industrial competitiveness and yet discussions of industrial policy are strangely silent on these important determinants of firm performance. The inability of Japanese industrial policy to develop these skills has been an important factor in determining the competitive position of the Japanese commercial airplane manufacturing industry. In this industry where domestic demand was not guaranteed, and where the Japanese competitors were not prepared to assume the risk‐taking position common to successful foreign competitors, Japanese industrial policy was unable to match its earlier success in basic industries.

The traditional value chain has changed under the influence of globalisation, lean thinking and the value leverage towards suppliers in the supply chain. The leverage of value by the focal original equipment manufacturer (OEM)‐company to the supply chain has caused the focal OEM‐company to transform into a large‐scale system integrator (LSSI). The LSSI was defined according to the Petrick's definition. Indicators that measure the value‐leverage by these LSSI companies have not been found in literature. The purpose of this paper is to describe indicators that measure value‐leverage and illustrates that LSSI companies in the aerospace industry have a value‐leverage capability, using these indicators.

The authors' main research question is: “How to measure value‐leverage by LSSIs in the aerospace industry?”. As value‐leverage indicators have not been studied before, a literature study was carried out to develop a set of indicators which were tested in a quantitative analysis, using secondary data from 41 aerospace companies. Second, the value‐leverage indicators were applied to the aircraft LSSIs. The industry samples consisted of the global companies in the aircraft OEM industry and the relevant financial and company data were collected from the companies' public financial data, spanning a time frame of 14 years (1996 to 2009). A case study was performed on large‐scale aircraft system integrators, as a sample of the aerospace OEM industry, to demonstrate the effects of value‐leverage by aircraft LSSI companies.

With the new indicators, this research shows value leverage of aerospace OEMs and aircraft LSSIs as a sub group of the sample. The related indicators showed a change in leverage over time, indicating the leverage capability of aerospace OEMs. More in‐depth analysis on aircraft LSSI companies showed that aircraft LSSI with high correlation on the value‐leverage variables are more in value balance compared with aircraft LSSI companies scoring lower on the variables.

This research has been limited to the aerospace OEMs. Data from secondary (public) sources were used, such as financial reports over a period of 14 years. Further research is necessary to develop indicators for other sectors of industries, such as automotive, medical instruments and construction, as well as to further improve the understanding of the outcomes of this study.

The new indicators measure value‐leverage of aerospace OEMs in general and aircraft LSSI companies. These companies could be compared on their capability of value‐leverage. Management of these firms can use the indicators to further improve their capability of value‐leverage on the supply chain regarding co‐development and co‐production of aircraft and related systems.

It is useful for the executive management of aircraft LSSIs to balance the value leverage of their companies regarding R&D, customer demand and supply chain based production.

The paper identifies indicators that measure the capability of the aerospace OEMs to leverage value on supply chains. The found indicators form a preliminary model, which contributes to the usage of theories on lean manufacturing, supply chain management, value networks and open innovation.

Since 2000, the value of aircraft assets imported to – and exported from – the Irish economy has increased significantly. In each case, these figures represent a marked rise over a 17-year period. This gives rise to some simple questions: what are the dynamics that give rise to a small, open economy's demand for aircraft assets on this scale? Indeed, is it merely a reflection of our island location or is there something more at play? And can we comment on the role of the air cargo industry in this demand? Ireland's growing aircraft leasing industry is internationally orientated with Ireland emerging as an important hub for this industry. A recent industry estimate noted that nine of the world's 10 largest aircraft leasing companies are located in Ireland with the number of aircraft managed in Ireland at 3,500 (or 50%) of the entire global fleet of leased aircraft. This, in part, is an important contributor to this demand for aircraft assets. The objective of this research is to examine the flow of imports and exports of aircrafts to, and through, Ireland using Eurostat's International Trade in Goods Statistics (ITGS) dataset. The authors also use the International Trade in Services series in the Balance of Payments in order to consider the value, and relative scale, of the services provided by air freight operators in order to provide some context to the role of the air cargo sector.

Based on a lecture prepared as part of the celebration of Cranfield University's 50th anniversary. After briefly reviewing the early years, including Cranfield University's entry into this technology, discusses the nature of this industry, Some of the technology drivers, including environmental concerns, are examined to provide a background against which the development and the future of the industry can be considered. This is followed by a brief survey of some of the possible new civil aero gas turbine applications over the next 50 years, both the very likely and some curiosities. Finally, the changes that are likely to occur within the industry as a result of wider economic and political trends are considered, as well as the implications for those working within the industry. The development of the civil aero gas turbine has contributed, in large measure, to today's, US$ 300 billion civil aviation industry and is rightly seen as one of mankind's major engineering achievements. A single paper cannot do justice to this industry.

THE Society of British Aircraft Constructors was incorporated as a company, limited by guarantee and with no share capital, on March 29, 1916. It is, therefore, junior to the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Aero Club, but senior by two years to the Air Ministry and the Royal Air Force, and the elder of many other official, semi‐official and commercial organizations which the expansion of aviation has brought into being during the past thirty‐five years. The Society is young enough to retain within its counsels today many who were well‐known and active in the industry in the time of formation; old enough to have acquired a body of experience unique in its field and for its records to begin to qualify as history, of which some aspects at least carry interest worthy of the columns of AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING.