COMBAT AND COMPETITION.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

COMBAT AND COMPETITION
above all, there is pride in our own contribution.
For Elliotts were awarded the prime contract for the autocontrol
systems including fly-by-wire, autostabiliser, autopilot and
autothrottle, 50/50 in partnership with SFENA 11 .
The political manoeuvring which went on beforehand would fill a
book. Elliotts, believing that their design leadership had the support
of the British Aircraft Corporation and both Governments - and that
Sud Aviation alone remained to be convinced - started work on a joint
proposal with Bendix and persuaded the Ministry that 25% of the
development funding should be allocated to their partner.
But Bendix wanted much more - and the design leadership as well.
So they concentrated on the French, and came up with a tripartite deal
which included SFENA. Whilst Sud Aviation suddenly started to argue
the case for Bendix even more strongly, on the dubious evidence that
they were the preferred contractor for the American supersonic
transport!
Elliotts moved into top gear. Meetings, official and unofficial,
proliferated and we found ourselves rushing between Bristol, London,
Paris and Toulouse as if there was no tomorrow. Doc Stuart was given
a watching brief, ostensibly liaison with Sud Aviation on all the
systems under discussion - in reality to keep an eye on Bendix - and
spent many months in Toulouse protecting the company's interests.
It would be pleasant, on this occasion at least, to record that
Government had supported British industry in an effective manner.
Alas this was not even remotely the case. Unlike the French and
Americans, who use their civil servants and diplomatic staff quite
ruthlessly, and are frequently prepared to support one company as
their chosen instrument, British policy allows no favouritism.
In the horse trading for Concorde this was naive in the extreme. It
is a wonder that Elliotts were not squeezed out by the combination of
SFENA and Bendix. (Concorde sales in the United States were yet
another carrot behind the idea of American participation).
One British diplomat was different from all the rest, Tony Holden,
the Civil Air Attache in Paris. Tony deplored the way in which we
were being continually outmanoeuvred by the French, and particularly
the situation on Concorde. Moreover he was doing something about it.
Meeting him, shortly after his appointment, I had seen how he
operated during the Paris Salon and, attending one of his official
cocktail parties, had been much impressed. Given sight of an
opportunity for British Industry this man would put all his efforts
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