Fly away success

The aerospace industry may seem to be dominated by a few major players, but the sector supports many hundreds of smaller companies, all of whom have to contend with the twin drivers of rapid technological innovation and international competition — which will be reflected at

(17-23 July).

The regional aerospace alliances provide vital services for the SMEs in the sector, helping to connect them to the large civil and military aircraft manufacturers, while also reinforcing links to academia.

Paul Lindsay, operations director for the

alliance, is currently focusing on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the region. 'We've just completed mapping a capabilities matrix for the 160 companies we have in the region, and next we're going to start on a skills matrix covering all the universities and institutes of higher education,' he said.

The goal of the exercise is both to ensure that any skills gaps are identified, and to help companies in the region publicise themselves. 'We know, for example, that we're short of expertise in composites at the moment. Tomorrow's aircraft are going to be built from composites, so it's important we try to fill that gap,' said Lindsay.