First chair appointed for £2bn aerospace body

Stephen Henwood (pictured) will lead the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), created as part of the UK Aerospace Industrial Strategy which was published by joint government and industry initiative the Aerospace Growth Partnership last March. The ATI will see industry and government invest just over £2 billion in aerospace research and development over the next seven years. This is a key part of the strategy to maintain the competitiveness of the UK aerospace industry in the face of increasing global competition and technological change. The ATI will bring businesses up and down the supply chain together with academia to develop technology that builds on the sector's strengths. Data released recently by aerospace trade organisation ADS Group revealed that 2013 was a record year for the aerospace industry, with orders for commercial aircrafts increasing by more than a quarter (28%) compared to the previous year.