Farnborough Aerospace Consortium sign American agreement

Published by

Sam Pither

(l-r) Graham Chisnall (FAC), Kim Holizna (OAI), Alan Fisher (FAC) and John Sankovic (OAI)

Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI).

The document was signed on the opening day of the biennial Farnborough International Airshow, which is returning for the first time since the pandemic.

OAI is a non-profit collaboration between the NASA Glenn Research Centre, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the State of Ohio, ten Ohio public and private universities and numerous companies engaged in aerospace activities.

The agreement is designed to facilitate communication between the various members of the two consortiums, with a view to expanding businesses and their supply chains.

John Sankovic, president and CEO of Ohio Aerospace Institute, said: “We are a collaboration between government, academia and industry. After 33 years we are moving further afield because aerospace is global. One of our biggest aerospace trade partners is the UK so this partnership with FAC is logical.

“There is $800m’s worth of aerospace trade between Ohio and the UK and we want to grow that and this partnership will help enable it.”

Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC) is one of the longest established aerospace and defence trade associations in the UK. It has around 200 members in the UK and abroad, and acts as an enabler for business between large primes and the supply chain.

Alan Fisher, chief executive officer of FAC, said: “Part of our role is to help our members win new business. This partnership will enable us to build strong links with businesses and other aerospace organisations in Ohio.

“It will help forge new relationships and we know that international collaboration is fundamental in keeping aerospace moving forward. While most of our members are from the south and south-east, we have members from across the country and around the world.

“As aerospace is a truly global industry we must look to all areas of the world to benefit our members, which in turns benefits the country.”

Featured image: (L-R) Graham Chisnall (FAC chairman), Kim Holizna (OAI), Alan Fisher (FAC’s CEO) and John Sankovic (OAI)

Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset. A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise. Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.