UK manufacturing activity plunges to seven-year low as economic slowdown bites September 2, 2019 UK manufacturing output crashed to a seven-year low in August as Brexit doubts intensify and a wider economic slowdown hurts firms, according to a closely followed measure of sector activity. Manufacturing output plunged to its worst level since 2012 last month, according to IHS Markit’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Read more: Toyota to halt production [...]
Pie in the sky? London urged to plan for flying taxi future September 2, 2019 Airbus will tomorrow urge London authorities to plan for a future in which electric air taxis roam the skies and drones carry cargo a few thousand feet above the city. The aviation juggernaut has already built a prototype air taxi, as have arch rivals Boeing, Uber and several other manufacturers. Airbus will urge city planners [...]
Eco-warriors still threaten Heathrow drone chaos despite ‘positive’ talks with airport August 30, 2019 Climate change activists are still planning on flying drones over Heathrow in protest next month, despite a “positive” meeting with representatives from the airport this morning. Heathrow Pause, a splinter group of the Extinction Rebellion movement, says it will fly toy drones in the airport’s restricted zone from 13 September, in a move that threatens [...]
Watch: Nissan invents self-driving golf ball that finds the hole every time August 29, 2019 Times are tricky for Nissan executives. The Japanese car maker’s profits have collapsed, it is gearing up to sack 12,500 workers to cut costs, and former boss Carlos Ghosn is facing jail time for swindling millions of dollars from the firm. Who could blame them for wanting a bit of light relief? The car maker’s [...]
More grief for British car industry as output falls again amid Brexit fears August 29, 2019 Britain’s car manufacturers endured another month of misery in July as exports took a hit and output slowed down for its 14th consecutive month. Manufacturing output fell 10.6 per cent last month, with only 108,239 vehicles rolling off the production line, according to figures released this morning by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders [...]
Near-miss: Passenger jet ‘narrowly avoided’ hitting drone at Gatwick airport in April August 28, 2019 An Airbus passenger jet carrying as many as 186 passengers was forced to take evasive action to avoid a drone as it approached Gatwick airport, it has emerged. The airliner was flying at 518 metres towards the West Sussex airport on 28 April when the pilot saw a dark-coloured drone and made a banking turn [...]
Britain ‘still attractive for aerospace investment’ despite Brexit uncertainty August 27, 2019 Britain is the fourth-most attractive attractive country to invest in for the aerospace and defence industries, according to research. Despite warnings from major industry players that Brexit uncertainty will hamper investment in the sector, the UK has been named the best European country to invest in, ahead of Germany, by PwC. Countries were ranked on [...]
Boeing 737 Max: First customer lawsuit comes in against plane maker as Russian firm sues August 27, 2019 Boeing is facing its first lawsuit from an aviation industry customer of its Boeing 737 Max, after a Russian firm that ordered 35 planes is said to have sued it for breach of contract. Avia Capital Services, an aircraft leasing company that is a subsidiary of Russian firm Rostec, made an order for 35 Max [...]
Up in the air: Risks pile on for aerospace industry as 737 Max saga continues August 22, 2019 Risks are mounting for the world’s aerospace industry, amid political tensions and delays to Boeing’s grounded 737 Max jet returning to service, according to ratings agency Moody’s. Read more: Boeing takes $4.9bn hit on 737 Max groundings to compensate airlines The grounding of the best-selling passenger jet in March after two deadly crashes killed 346 [...]
Land of the car? Trump slams Ford for backing stricter emissions rules August 22, 2019 Donald Trump has found a new target for his Twitter ire: the global automotive industry. The US President yesterday mounted a series of attacks on car makers for snubbing his plan to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency rules, singling out Ford for instead siding with a California state deal which proposes stricter emissions standards. Read [...]