The NWAA ASCE Programme has reached unsurpassed heights as a result of the first coordinated approach to supplier development by three aerospace primes; BAE Systems, Airbus UK and Rolls-Royce Plc.

We would like our members to take this opportunity to learn how the ASCE 1 Programme has enabled a substantial number of North West suppliers to undertake their journey to World Class. The event will feature around 200 representatives from the North West Aerospace Industry, and will introduce presentations from high profile industry figures. In addition to this, we will be holding an exhibition of the region’s most prominent aerospace excellence programmes together with the key work we at NWAA continue to carry out in order to enable further supply chain development towards World Class.

The culmination of this event will be a delightful 4 course dinner where some of the region’s companies will be awarded in recognition of the prestigious business improvement work they have carried out alongside the ASCE Programme.

For further information or to book, please contact Stephanie Howarth on 01282 607166 or email stephanie.howarth@aerospace.co.uk

In 2013, we’ll attempt to traverse 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, in a self designed and built pedal-powered boat dubbed “Torpedalo”, in a project to raise a huge amount of money for two amazing charities – the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association and Make-A-Wish Foundation^® UK.

The state-of-the-art 8.3m long carbon fibre pedal-boat, the first of its kind, will either travel from the Canary Isles to Barbados or from New York to Penzance. A two-man pedalo has only ever crossed the Atlantic once, in 1994, taking 111 days; we’re aiming to complete the journey in just 38 days, and would be the first to have done so in a self-built vessel. The boat has been built at no cost by lead sponsors Norco GRP in Poole, with support from a huge number of manufacturing and equipment sponsors. Given the charitable nature of the project, from the outset we vowed never to spend a single penny of money donated, so that all of it could go to charity. We’ve succeeded in this goal, having designed, built and equipped the boat on a budget of £0.

The Torpedalo will be the most technologically advanced human-powered boat ever built, featuring a unique design optimised for a World-Record-breaking expedition. Torpedalo’s speed, balance and hydrodynamics have undergone extensive simulation and testing at Newcastle University’s hydrodynamic towing tank.  The high-tech, totally self-sufficient vessel is constructed entirely of carbon fibre, and will include integrated solar panels for electricity generation, a desalination system for making fresh water from the ocean and GPS, radar and satellite phone systems.

In anticipation of the journey, we’ve also constructed a web site – www.Torpedalo.com – to chronicle our adventures in fundraising, designing and building the boat, to provide facts and figures about the impending challenge, and to regularly update followers once we set out on the Atlantic in 2013.

The Torpedalo’s journey will be a distinctly perilous one, with commercial shipping vessels, bad weather, huge waves, and even sharks all posing a significant threat – indeed, all of these factors have caused rowing boats to retire from ocean rowing races in the past.  We’ll operate a shift pattern, so the boat is always moving, and will change places between the pedalling position and the sleeping cabin every two hours. To avoid salt sores, we’ll be naked for the entire journey.

As of the start of February, the boat is built and we’ve started the process of fitting it out with the electrical system. We’re hoping to have the boat in the water by the start of summer, so that the rest of the year can be spent testing it in all conditions. Once we’re satisfied that the boat is safe and performing to the best of its potential, we’ll finalise the details of the Atlantic attempt and get ready for the challenge!

Project progress can be followed through www.Torpedalo.com. Updates and progress may also be followed via Twitter and Facebook by searching for “Torpedalo” online.

Demand from OEMs and primes to increase risk-sharing partnerships on new aircraft programmes continues to grow, along with the requirements of design and build through-life capability work packages.

This requires the North West aerospace supply chain to respond and react to ensure the long term future of the region’s aerospace sector. The additional drive by the primes to reduce their current level of supply chain interfaces, is shaping the response of the region’s aerospace sector via the ASCE 2 programme and the NWAA’s deliverance of the Extended Enterprise work stream.

The Extended Enterprise model is being developed to enable aerospace companies to form clusters of collaborative groups in order to successfully bid for work packages that they would not be able to access as independent companies. The foundation of this collaborative approach was first honed at meetings of the NWAA’s commodity group specifically designed to increase maturity and collective interaction levels.

Since the initial research phase (concluded at the end of Q2), the development and engagement phases of the Extended Enterprise work-stream are now hearing completion. This has seen increased engagement with aerospace companies, OEMs and primes to enable broader involvement and contribution towards potential model formulations.

Throughout the latter part of 2011, a number of focus group workshops have been operating, to which all NWAA ASCE member companies have been invited. It is hoped this will raise levels of awareness for the Extended Enterprise model and allay member companies’ fears and concerns, whilst also focussing on the aspirations and overall direction of how the model(s) could successfully work.

“WIIFM” (What’s In It for Me) became a well versed acronym during these focus group workshops, which formed a crucial aspect of extending the understanding of what are (currently) independent companies, in order not only to gain support for an Extended Enterprise, but also to understand what would be the final expectations of a range of customers.

An important deliverable within the development and engagement phases was the progress towards identifying the model(s) that existed and would be appropriate for further testing. During the focus group workshops, three models were considered:

Type 1, a supply chain model with primes working down their supply chain; Type 2, a joint venture company with a multi-owned subsidiary, and Type 3, a commercial alliance of companies each bringing something else to the table.

It was agreed that Type 1 is the current model, Type 2 a potential model for the future and Type 3 the preferred option. Running concurrently with the extended enterprise model(s) definition phase has been the requirement to formulate draft documents necessary to enable the lead partner model to operate within the appropriate commercial, legal and financial framework.

Governance rules have been formulated to enact the appropriate disciplines and business ethics required to enable such a collaborative alliance to function.

During the early stages of Q3/2011, five companies agreed to form the first lead partner model collaborative group. Assystem, Hampson Group, Hyde Group, Kaman and Morson-Projects, in conjunction with the NWAA, have signed a memorandum of understanding to underpin the intent of this grouping in support of the Extended Enterprise project.

Meetings have been held with Bombardier and BAE Systems to present the structure, content and direction of the lead partner model, and have received some very positive feedback, proving essential to the project at this stage of model maturity. Follow up meetings are being arranged with these prime customers, in addition to further meetings with GKN and Spirit.

The next stages of development are to work with the commodity groups to develop the model for companies to align to the lead partners and to offer that wider collective capability.

Over the decades, aircraft design and manufacturing technologies have been severely challenged to meet the ever increasing demand for increased aircraft performance, capability and sustainability.

Since the inspirational Spitfire aircraft programme, the world has seen aircraft design and manufacturing technologies achieve staggering improvements with such aircraft programmes as; Canberra, Lightning, Jaguar, Harrier, Boeing 747,Tornado, Airbus A320, Typhoon and more recent programmes of F35, Airbus A380 and Boeing 787. A new breed of aircraft known as UAV’s (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are now breaking through and pushing the current boundaries of design and manufacturing technologies to even higher levels through the Mantis and Taranis projects.

To meet the next generation of Design and Manufacturing Technologies, BAE Systems have launched a project entitled SIMPLISTIC (SIMPLIfied, Sustainable Technologies for Integrated AirCraft).

This project highlighted its objectives to meet affordability via ECO-design and manufacturing, sustainability and uniqueness. It will expand on challenges to achieve such demands for 25% to 50% improvement to current performance, compliance and sustainability.

Under the wings of the G-BOAC Concorde, Steve Johnston of BAE Systems illustrated via demonstrator concept models how these objectives and challenges can be achieved, and how they will impact on our current supply chain design and manufacturing technologies.

This exclusive event gave the opportunity for companies to engage with this project in readiness to be able to support future design and manufacturing Capabilities.  With an insight into current projects and capabilities from UCLan, University of Bolton, Virtual Engineering Centre, Lancaster University, University of Salford, Manchester University and Liverpool University, this was an event which brought together manufacturers and academia and enabled future research and development projects to be discussed.

The ceremony, held at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI), Manchester, saw prizes handed out to the region’s brightest and best, along with the training providers and universities which support their work.

Speaking at the awards were Mike Sayer and Mark Byass of the Bentley Torpedalo Team, who talked of their own challenge which will take place later this year when they hope to raise £250,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and Make-a-Wish by pedalling a boat more than 3,000 miles unassisted across the Atlantic.

The top prize, the AV Roe Trophy, which recognises the North West’s Best Apprentice, went to Jenny Westworth of BAE Systems, Warton, sponsored by Unison Engine Components.

The Irene Short Trophy, honouring the best apprentice from a smaller company, went to Nick Walton of Unison Engine Components.

Paul Scott, of the University of Liverpool, scooped the coveted Sir Frank Whittle Award, which honours the student at a North West university whose final year project is rated highest against the criteria of innovation and potential for commercial application, sponsored by Rolls-Royce.

Other award winners in the North West Best Aerospace/Defence Apprentice Awards included Xchanging HR Services who carried off the training provider trophy, and Nigel Woods of Kilgour Industries who took the One to Watch trophy, sponsored by BAE Systems.

Young guest speaker Andrew Fielding, a time-served apprentice at MBDA and winner of the 2008 North West Best Apprentice Award, recounted his own experience. Andrew recently represented the UK at the World Skills event held in London, competing against apprentices from around the world. The ceremony also highlighted the work being carried out by the training and education establishments which support the region’s students and apprentices.

The awards are part of the NWAA’s Take off In Aerospace Campaign aimed at encouraging young people into the industry by changing the image of aerospace and engineering jobs.

Neil McKay, chairman of the NWAA, said: “The New Talent Awards are becoming a significant part of the calendar for young engineers, and we’re proud to run an initiative which is held in such high esteem.

“There is a major skills gap in the engineering sector which must be filled, and these young award winners represent the future of the industry.

“We also recognise the role played by the employers and the training providers and their contribution in supporting these bright young people in the aerospace and advanced engineering industries.”

Sponsors of the event also included: MBDA, Training 2000, Wallwork Heat Treatments, Nelson and Colne College, Preston College and East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

(L-R) Mike Sayer, Torpedalo team; Jenny Westworth, Winner of the AV Roe trophy; Mark Byass, Torpedalo team.