Backward Glance

IT has been a year of mixed fortunes for the British aircraft industry typified by several irritating disappointments, a number of resounding technical successes and an overall feeling that the outlook for the future is bright. During the early part of the year the final stages of the regrouping of the industry took place, so that now there are in existence two main airframe groups, Hawker Siddeley and the British Aircraft Corporation; two main engine groups, Rolls‐Royce and Bristol Siddeley; a single helicopter group, Westland Aircraft, and a number of smaller individual companies such as Handley Page, Short Brothers and Harland, Scottish Aviation, Alvis and Boulton Paul Aircraft. A notable addition to the fraternity of the smaller firms has been the recent formation of British Executive and General Aviation which incorporates Auster Aircraft and F. G. Miles Ltd. with the financial backing of the Pressed Steel Company.