LOCATIONS
17 Oct 06. Defence Secretary, Des Browne opens the new Collocated RAF Headquarters at High Wycombe. RAF High Wycombe will now be home to both HQ Strike Command (HQ STC) and HQ Personnel and Training Command (HQ PTC) which was previously located at RAF Innsworth. STC has had its HQ at RAF High Wycombe since its formation in 1968.
05 Oct 06. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) will begin transferring the civil space work performed at its Goleta, Calif., facility to Raytheon Company’s Center of Excellence for space sensor systems technology in El Segundo, Calif. As a result of this consolidation, the Goleta civil space operation, also known as Santa Barbara Remote Sensing (SBRS), will close in early 2008.
18 Oct 06. Talent sails on-time, on-budget. HMS Talent sailed from Devonport Royal Dockyard yesterday, Tuesday 17 October, on-schedule, following a three year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) [LOP(R)] by DML. The project has demonstrated considerable efficiency and cost saving benefits arising from new initiatives implemented by DML working closely with the MoD and Royal Navy. The two million manhour overhaul, which started in May 2003, included reactor refuelling and installation of a Swiftsure and Trafalgar (S&T) update, including fitting Sonar 2076 (which is also being fitted in the new Astute class submarines) and a new heat management system, providing the submarine with a significantly enhanced level of capability. This was in addition to the overhaul and refurbishment of all the submarine systems to enable her to complete her next mission (due to be 12 years in service), including considerable emergent work.
JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
17 Oct 06. Airbus said Tuesday it will cut 1,000 temporary staff and reduce working hours at its German operations, the first timid steps in a major restructuring process triggered by delays in its A380 superjumbo project. The European aircraft maker said it would not renew contracts with employment agencies currently supplying about 1,000 of its 7,300 temporary workers in Germany. It also announced a raft of measures for its regular staff in Germany, including cutting working hours to as little as 28 hours a week for some staff — though without reducing their pay.
17 Oct 06. Following extensive negotiations between the main Board of Directors and representatives from Amicus, Britten-Norman is pleased to announce a multi year conditional pay award. The award, which contains conditions aimed at modernising working practices at the Bembridge facility and increasing the aerospace Group’s customer focus, has been claimed by both parties to be a success for all concerned. “It was extremely unfortunate that the pay negotiations reached deadlock during September and that the union felt that industrial action was necessary” commented the Group’s Chief Executive, William
Hynett. “Having now reached agreement, the Board is keen to get back to the primary focus of driving the business forward and building on recent successes with our Defender 4000 multi role surveillance aircraft”. When asked of the impact of industrial action, Chris Compton, Managing Director of the Group’s manufacturing subsidiary stated: “Although only 58 of the 165 workers at Bembridge took industrial action, the majority of these came from Britten-Norman Aircraft and this has caused some delays on aircraft which are currently work-in progress. The effects of these delays should be remedied by December at the very latest.”
19 Oct 06. Airbus managers won’t shy away from layoffs and factory closures as they restructure the European plane maker, despite calls for job-security guarantees from labor union officials and politicians, a top executive of Airbus’s parent company pledged. “Everything is on the table,” said Thomas Enders, co-chief executive officer of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co., in an interview. Airbus recently announced a major overhaul of its operations in an effort to resolv