PREFERENCE FOR BOEING 737

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31154, 2 September 1966, Page 1

PREFERENCE FOR BOEING 737

B.A.C. Head Replies To Mr Patterson

r.Vetc Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 1.

The British Aircraft Corporation has again challenged reasons for the National Airways Corporation’s preference for the Boeing 737 to the B.A.C. 1-11.

The managing director of 8.A.C., Mr G. E. Knight, said in a cabled statement to the “Dominion” today that the general manager of the National Airways Corporation (Mr D. A. Patterson) had given as an important factor in his preference for the Boeing, the American guarantee of continuity of spares and replacement aircraft.

“Mr Patterson is also reported as saying that because of changing British Government policies on civil aviation, no British manufacturer can give such guarantees,” said Mr Knight. “If Mr Patterson has been correctly [ered B.E.A. to buy British quoted. lam forced to deny the truth of his 'aircraft, statements ”' \ The “Daily Mail” said: “Of all the aircraft being

Mr Knight said that on April 14. Mr Patterson had formally asked B.A.C.'s sales directors to give specific undertakings about delivery dates up to 1974 and concerning continuity of production and spares. These undertakings had been given on May 5. B.A.C. still stood by these undertakings, said Mr Knight. "If there is meant to be an implication that, in Mr Patterson's opinion, B.A.C. or the British aircraft industry will not be in business in the 19705. I can state that B.A.C.'s present forward work-load in all four divis-

11 ions carries it until well past 11 the middle of the next decade > without further orders.” The Nev. Zealand Press Association correspondent in ’ London says the “Daily Ex--1 press” today selected as its “Quote of the Day” Mr 1 Patterson’s statement made in Wellington last Friday that ! “the final factor is the Ame- ■ rican guarantee of continuity 1 of spares, replacement parts ’ and replacement aircraft. Be- : cause of continually changing ' British Government policies ’ on civil aviation no British I manufacturer can give such a guarantee.” The “Daily Mail” said Brit-: ish European Airways should buy the 1-11 aircraft. Last month the British Gov-, i erment for the first time ord-

J built today, the B.A.C. 1-11 Jis the one we can least afford I not to build —if we are to ■have an aircraft industry at 'all.” 1 : So far 99 had been sold, 60 'I of them abroad. This was the ;! balance between home and export sales Britain should be Haiming for. Why was the 1-11 in need of help? the “Daily Mail - ’ ask- ' ed. ’ “The reason is that the Brit- ’ ish plane is now up against ’ two American rivals both ’ building virtual copies of the I British ‘bus-stop’ formula, but '.backing them with their huge (resources and selling methods. II “The Americans also have (the flying start of a guaran-i i teed home market of up to i j 200 aircraft.”