Boeing attempted to buy out Yeovil recently
Thread Starter
Boeing attempted to buy out Yeovil recently
Anyone heard about this?
Boeing?s bid for Westland rejected by Italian owner | The Sunday Times
Cheers
Boeing?s bid for Westland rejected by Italian owner | The Sunday Times
Cheers
Boeing attempted to buy out Yeovil recently
That could only be good news for the UK.......
Whilst AW are a vast improvement on AH on many levels, the UK taxpayer has been held to ransom over jobs in key SW constituencies, to sell a product that doesn't fit the spec, far too many times.
AW have made some good aircraft, but Boeing have a better record of building a good product, and more importantly, reading the customer requirements rather than fumbling around the current production line for something that may suffice.
Whilst AW are a vast improvement on AH on many levels, the UK taxpayer has been held to ransom over jobs in key SW constituencies, to sell a product that doesn't fit the spec, far too many times.
AW have made some good aircraft, but Boeing have a better record of building a good product, and more importantly, reading the customer requirements rather than fumbling around the current production line for something that may suffice.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: All over the place
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To be fair to AW - They have also produced a market leader in the guise of the 139 and were the first rotary OEM to pursue the 'family' of types?
Bell very successfully built an enormous selection of military and commercial helicopters from one model, being mass produced by many other manufacturers, including Agusta.
I have never understood why Bell sold their share of the 139, which I would agree is one of the best helicopters ever produced.
To be fair to AW - They have also produced a market leader in the guise of the 139 and were the first rotary OEM to pursue the 'family' of types?
How many times has Boeing dug MoD out of the deep poo, without any means of claiming payment, on contracts which for they were not the prime? Puma Nav Update and Sea King ASaC, to name but two of Westland's interventions.
How many times has Westland, in whatever guise, been criticised by Boards of Inquiry or the AAIB for poor Quality Control, or by the RAF Inspectorate of Flight Safety for being an unsuitable Design Authority?
How many times has Westland, in whatever guise, been criticised by Boards of Inquiry or the AAIB for poor Quality Control, or by the RAF Inspectorate of Flight Safety for being an unsuitable Design Authority?
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: All over the place
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
..And let's see.How many successful types have Boeing built...Chinook,CH-46.....errrr that's it!
Of course, Agusta also builds CH-47's under licence to this day - if you don't have CH-47's, then you certainly want them. The CH-47 is the most versatile and useable large helicopter ever produced.
If the UK Government hadn't consistently bailed Westland out, they would have disappeared 30 years or more ago.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: All over the place
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would have to agree with you Never Fretter, but Boeing has produced a helicopter with continuous performance and capability improvements that remains unmatched by anything else in the World. They have also made significant sales to foreign military operators and that continues to this day - the CH-47 is a helicopter that most military operators in the world aspire to acquire because of it's immense operational flexibility.
Westland unquestionably wouldn't be in business if it weren't for the MoD, and the generousity of the UK taxpayer!
Westland unquestionably wouldn't be in business if it weren't for the MoD, and the generousity of the UK taxpayer!
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: N/A
Posts: 845
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Govt support for Westland:
SO MUCH DAMAGED CAUSED - look at what Govt 'help' did for our amazing car industry.
It's done similar job on our beautiful aircraft industry.
Killed the UK as the main jet airline manufacturer from Comet to VC10
Look at Islander and Shorts being 'helped to death' by pro twin legislation against cessna caravan and PC12
So many firms killed, not least several helicopter manufacturers.
It's a dead end way to achieve success.
Closed shop, work to rule, establishment stitch-up (Westland), regulatory bias, subsidy, insincere specification.
BMW engines are quite reliable - would you 'risk your life' over the North Sea at the reliability level of a 2 year old 3 Series? Of course you would...
Reliability evolved through market insistence - not regulatory mandate.
Look at how successful Range Rover, Mini, Rolls Royce are now that they have escaped the National Interest curse
Maybe Westlands superb talent might have been unleashed to pass the untimate test - that of the free market.
There is a synical and incorrect assumption that the private field lacks the talent - as judged by arrogant narrow minded self satisfied civil servants and regulators.
SO MUCH DAMAGED CAUSED - look at what Govt 'help' did for our amazing car industry.
It's done similar job on our beautiful aircraft industry.
Killed the UK as the main jet airline manufacturer from Comet to VC10
Look at Islander and Shorts being 'helped to death' by pro twin legislation against cessna caravan and PC12
So many firms killed, not least several helicopter manufacturers.
It's a dead end way to achieve success.
Closed shop, work to rule, establishment stitch-up (Westland), regulatory bias, subsidy, insincere specification.
BMW engines are quite reliable - would you 'risk your life' over the North Sea at the reliability level of a 2 year old 3 Series? Of course you would...
Reliability evolved through market insistence - not regulatory mandate.
Look at how successful Range Rover, Mini, Rolls Royce are now that they have escaped the National Interest curse
Maybe Westlands superb talent might have been unleashed to pass the untimate test - that of the free market.
There is a synical and incorrect assumption that the private field lacks the talent - as judged by arrogant narrow minded self satisfied civil servants and regulators.
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: the hills of halton
Age: 71
Posts: 809
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lockheed martin might be a better fit
Sikorsky's new owners would be a better bet , there is a long history of collaboration between the 2 companies. When I was there in late 70's i would say 100% of my time was booked to MOD contracts ( Mainly R and D ). Westland has never been able to support itself without major government cash injections. I am sure even with newer owners the cash will still keep flowing or they will go the way of Bristol , Fairey and Saunders Roe.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: All over the place
Posts: 231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The story has now gone full circle!
Finmeccanica CEO says Westland Helicopters not for sale | Reuters
Finmeccanica CEO says Westland Helicopters not for sale | Reuters
