Filton Airfield is now history

By: Wellington285 - 21st December 2012 at 16:40 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Sad day for Bristol
Ian

By: Vega ECM - 21st December 2012 at 18:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Will there be aircraft component design at Airbus Filton (as the only place in the UK) in 5 years time? - Definitely

Will there be aircraft component design at Airbus Filton in 7 years time? Probably

Will there be aircraft component design at Airbus Filton in 10 years time ? Very Doubtful

You are witnessing the beginning of the complete cessation of aircraft design, above that of EAL, in the UK. A once proud industry, envied the world over is being allowed to fade and die.

Remember the latest A350 has a UK input of only 12%, ......
about the same as the Spanish

By: Argonaut - 21st December 2012 at 18:37 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

A shame to see another historic part of British aviation going the way of so many others. How much of the Airbus 400M is manufactured in the UK, I should know but I dont. Will we ever see a British built airliner again, strange when you see Fokker being revived and still no hope of a British airliner.

By: SADSACK - 21st December 2012 at 18:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

re;

what became of The Farnbourgh F1? did the prototype survive?

By: MrBlueSky - 21st December 2012 at 19:22 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Historic, Aviation, memories, short sighted, lost cause, tragic, forlorn, hopeless, death nail...

And on that happy note lets all look forward to the UK's future in world aviation...

By: BlueRobin - 21st December 2012 at 19:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

what became of The Farnbourgh F1? did the prototype survive?

Purchased by an American company iirc

By: AirportsEd - 21st December 2012 at 20:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Another news link...

http://www.airportsinternational.com/2012/12/bristol-filton-airport-closes/

By: SADSACK - 21st December 2012 at 21:28 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

re;

Purchased by an American company iirc

funny it being designated F1 - thought that was for fighters? real shame that project went under, but looks like the type will fly in America so its still British designed.

By: Snoopy7422 - 22nd December 2012 at 02:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Disgusted, - Not From Tonbridge.

It's sickening to see this tragedy being acted-out. Cruise around the UK on Google Earth. Try and find the bases of all the old big manufacturers - all are laid to waste. What is so totally nuts about Filton being closed is that, history aside, Airbus and Rolls Royce are still there. It's closing the door firmly shut on massive potential. About what we have come to expect in the UK.

At the end of the day, it's also just one more airfield being gobbled-up by companies cashing-in on the land, with the councils following close behind on the gravy-train.....

The councils see to it that these sites die with a whimper. Converseley, if a manufacturer wanted to build such a facility, they'd want a Public Enquiry, charge huge fees, and take years.

What on earth would the founding fathers of British Aviation make of the mess we've made of our heritage. Heritage, now there's a much-abused word....

:( Yep, sickening.

By: SADSACK - 22nd December 2012 at 12:33 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

re;

What concerns me is they keep selling Rolls Royce engines to China. In a few years, poor copies will flood the market. How short sighted.

By: proteus6 - 22nd December 2012 at 13:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

The real world

I think we all agree that Filton closing is a sad end to an era, but who would want to pay to keep it open?
BAE wanted too much money for Airbus UK to make a business case to EADS and the cost to the public sector could not be justified.

If a UK company wanted to invest in EADS it might have been possible but who has the money?

By: paul1867 - 12th January 2013 at 12:19 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

What concerns me is they keep selling Rolls Royce engines to China. In a few years, poor copies will flood the market. How short sighted.

Same thing happened with Decca Marine Radar having models made in S Korea in the 80's. Decca engineers had to go out there to show them how to do it. They were machining duplexers out of solid, who can compete with that! The writing was on the wall and now we say Decca, who?