Airbus Filton
Horizons Community Review 2015
Bristol is Green
Filton Pride
TeenTech
Airbus is thrilled to be an official supporter of Bristol Green Capital (BGC) city of Europe 2015. Page 3
Flying on Filton-designed and built wings the RAF has taken delivery of its first Airbus A400M Atlas aircraft. Page 2
Inspiring the young engineers of the future. Page 4 and 5
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Horizons Community Review 2015
Fast Facts Every 2.2 seconds
an Airbus aircraft takes off or lands
10 engineering centres worldwide
15 manufacturing sites in Europe
20 different languages spoken by Airbus employees
New chapter in the
100 nationalities
Lloyd Burnell, (Project Director of Bristol Aero Collection Trust) and Airbus’ Andy O’Brien celebrate the Heritage Lottery Fund award
story of Concorde
of Airbus employees
4,000 people
Probably the most iconic and well-known aircraft ever built, Concorde, is to have a new home in Bristol.
work at Airbus Filton
8,121 aircraft
There were celebrations in the West Country and way beyond after £4.7 million Heritage Lottery funding was awarded to the Bristol Aero Collection Trust (BACT) to create an Aerospace Centre at Filton airfield. This will include a museum and learning centre to celebrate the heritage, present and future of Bristol Aviation and a bespoke new building to house Concorde.
in operation
8,885 aircraft delivered
15,271 aircraft*
It means Concorde 216, the last aircraft ever to be completely manufactured at Filton, will have a permanent home just a few hundred yards from the hangar where it was originally built, and only a little further from Pegasus House, the office building where much of the design work was conceived.
ordered
72,000 worldwide workforce
Fans of Concorde young and old will be able to visit the aircraft, and take a look inside the cabin, where celebrities including Princess Diana and Victoria Beckham regularly travelled.
82,000 followers on Twitter
Airbus Head of Programme Quality Andy O’Brien has been keenly involved in the drive to create a permanent home for the iconic aircraft in Bristol to preserve it for future generations.
100,000 jobs supported by Airbus in the UK
£100 million of test facilities at Filton including Europe’s largest fuel test facility
2.2 million hours of training for employees during 2014
7 billion passengers have flown on Airbus A320 family aircraft * orders correct at 31 Jan 2015
He said the overwhelming interest in Concorde was testament to the aircraft’s enduring status as an example of excellence in design and engineering. “Concorde remains the most famous and recognisable aircraft in the world ever and it is right that 216 remains in Bristol, where it belongs,” said Andy. “Its popularity and status are testimony to the incredible skill of the people who designed and built it. There is nothing else like it, and it’s unlikely there ever will be.” Airbus is a long-term supporter of BACT and its plans. The company has been custodian of Concorde since 2003 when hundreds of thousands of people cheered it home to Filton on its last flight.
A huge sense of
Filton pride
Since then, Airbus has invested more than £2 million in caring for the aircraft. Airbus will now expand its existing support of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) agenda in the local community to include the Bristol Aerospace Centre. The new centre will tell the story of Bristol’s aerospace industry from its conception in 1910 to the present day and into the future, displaying several important heritage collections. Lloyd Burnell, Project Director of the Trust said: “The Bristol Aerospace Centre will be a fantastic attraction for the region and provide enormous learning and volunteering opportunities for a wide range of people.” Nerys Watts, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “British aviation was born and bred at Filton Airfield. HLF’s investment will breathe new life into this site. People have a deep connection and pride in the technical innovations that have come out of the Bristol area, and we particularly welcome plans to record the unique stories of the airfield and its workforce.” The project will conserve 9.5 acres of Filton Airfield, along with two listed World War I hangars. The spaces will be refurbished to provide a first class aerospace industrial museum with hands-on ‘making and doing’ activities, interactive galleries, learning centre and workshops. Concorde will be presented in an exciting and dynamic way, along with a ‘futures’ technology exhibition, corporate facilities and lecture theatre. The total cost of the project is £16 million and BACT has already received significant pledged support from BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Airbus, South Gloucestershire Council as well as a number of local and national charitable trusts and major donors.
It was a proud day for Airbus when the Royal Air Force officially took delivery of its first A400M aircraft in December 2014. Prime Minister David Cameron was guest of honour at a ceremony to celebrate the acceptance of the aircraft at RAF Brize Norton where the entire fleet of 22 A400Ms will eventually be based. The event was hosted by the RAF and 12 tickets allocated to Airbus were distributed amongst employees and apprentices working on A400M. The aircraft is the first of 22 ordered by the RAF as part of Europe’s biggest ever joint military programme. Andrew Martin, Head of Plant Filton, said it was hugely rewarding to see the enthusiasm and excitement generated by the arrival of the aircraft, that is to be named “The City of Bristol”.
Airbus employees at the handover ceremony of the RAF’s first Airbus A400M whose wings are designed and manufactured in Filton.
Cover Picture: Students from Yate International Academy attending TeenTech – the innovative event to inspire more young people to consider careers in engineering and science.
He said: “It was clear that the RAF are delighted with their first A400M. It’s great to give ‘our boys’ their first aircraft and reach this really important milestone. The A400M is flying the flag for Filton and UK aerospace and everyone involved in the project should have a huge sense of pride.” The speech from Bernard Gray, Chief of Defence Materiel, paid tribute to the UK workforce and recognised the thousands of people both at Airbus and in the supply chain
who have been working on the project for such a long time. The A400M, known as Atlas in Royal Air Force service, will replace the C-130K Hercules, transforming the UK’s air mobility force through its unique combination of strategic and tactical capabilities. Airbus employees and apprentices had the opportunity to meet and talk to the Prime Minister during the event. Aircraft fitter Arundeep Hayre was one of the lucky ones. He said: “The best part for me was seeing the final product. It was so rewarding to think that I was part of making the wing. I went inside the aircraft too and was most impressed. The technology in the cockpit was amazing. I spoke to the pilots and they were very enthusiastic about it. “We only had a short time with the Prime Minister but he was interested in the aircraft and asked about our roles at Airbus. It was great to be there. Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy and I heard lots of positive comments.” At Brize Norton the A400M will operate alongside the RAF’s Airbus Voyager multi-role tanker transport fleet.
Horizons Community Review 2015
Representatives from Airbus’ Bristol Eco-Flyer team (from left to right) Andrew Nixon, Jerry Henry, Mathieu Johnsson, Roger Laguia-Barnola, John Hobday and Robert Higham.
Bristol is Green capital of Europe Airbus is thrilled to be an official supporter of Bristol Green Capital (BGC) city of Europe 2015. And we’re very excited that the key part of our involvement in BGC will be the construction of the Bristol Eco-Flyer – an aeroplane that will fly with zero carbon emissions. The Bristol Eco-Flyer will be designed, tested and built in-house, all on our site in Filton by our talented young employees, giving our graduates and apprentices the chance to experience the complexities of the aircraft design process first hand. As well as creating an aerodynamic machine that can take off, cruise and land, the team will have to get to grips with sustainable technologies to bring further environmental benefits. The project has already sparked significant interest in Airbus’ engineering community with some of our most experienced designers keen to be involved. At Filton we’re already committed to doing all we can to reduce our environmental footprint and to promote sustainable ways of working.
During 2015, a host of exciting events will be taking place in and around Bristol to celebrate the city’s flagship environmental role. Airbus will be sponsoring an Advanced Engineering and Innovation zone at the VentureFest green technology exhibition this summer. This is where visitors can find out about how our designers are striving to make aircraft more fuel-efficient, more aerodynamic and easier to recycle at the end of their service lives. They can also learn about initiatives that can make a huge difference in airports, and how reorganising flights and maybe even having commercial aircraft fly in formation – like migrating birds – could save energy! The aviation industry as a whole is working towards reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 75% and its nitrous oxide emissions by 90% by 2050, when compared to year 2000 emissions. We’re looking at using sustainable aviation fuels made from various sustainable bio-masses, and also ways which we can reduce operational noise. Keep an eye on the local press for more details about BGC and the Bristol Eco Flyer.
We’re proud of winning an award from South Gloucestershire council for our commitment to sustainable travel. Almost one in five of our employees commutes by bicycle, on foot, or via public transport. That’s well above the national average and the target set for Airbus Filton by the county council.
Welcome to the 2014 edition of Horizons, Airbus’ community magazine.
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t’s hard to believe another year has gone by since the last edition of Horizons, but that’s partly because it’s been an incredibly busy year for Airbus.
During 2014, we’ve seen a number of firsts: • The first flight of our A320neo aircraft, the fastestselling commercial aircraft ever and one that uses 15% less fuel than its predecessor. • The first delivery of our beautiful A350 Xtra Wide Body jetliner to Qatar Airlines. • The first delivery of the fabulous A400M military airlifter to the Royal Air Force at Brize Norton. Much of the design work for the A320neo and the A350 XWB took place at Filton and of course the wings of the A400M were built in our factory, here on site. And we’re especially proud that the RAF’s first A400M is named the City of Bristol. A lot has been happening, but we’re not planning on easing up any time soon! Around 2,300 engineers have been working in our new, flagship building Barnwell House for twelve months now and those working in the new Airbus Aerospace Park (AAP) celebrated the first anniversary of the move. In the past few months, several hundred employees from different areas of expertise, and of different nationalities, have come together to start work on our next big Airbus project, the A330neo aircraft, and we have created a plateau at Filton to lead this project, reinforcing the skills and expertise we have here in Bristol Away from the manufacturing and engineering side of things, our charity, education, environment and community teams have been as busy as always in Bristol and the South West.
Vanessa Greenman, champion of sustainable transport, said: “Upgrading our facilities to include new bicycle racks, showers and lockers has made it easier for people to cycle to work. We’re working with local organisations, bus and rail companies to find more ways to help our employees commute without having to use their cars.”
You can find out some of what we’ve been up to in the pages of this magazine. We hope you enjoy reading your copy of Horizons. On behalf of everyone at Airbus Filton, I’d like to wish you a healthy and happy 2015.
Mark Stewart General Manager and Human Resources Director
A passage to India Simon Tompsett, Marc Turner, Paul Cooper and Rich Bishop worked alongside colleagues from partner company QuEST to build a new storeroom and boundary wall, painted a classroom and 300 metres of existing wall, helped run health checks for the children and organised science lessons and other activities.
Four volunteers from Airbus Filton spent a week carrying out repairs and upgrading facilities at a school in an underprivileged area of Bangalore, India.
The aim was to make the school, built on top of a rubbish dump, a more attractive and secure environment for the 350 children, aged between five and 14 years, who study there. The volunteers all work in engineering and were part of a seven-strong team which included colleagues from France and Germany. Before they left the team jointly raised more than €4,000 and provided the school with basics like paper and pens as well as a television, digital camera and DVD player and still left enough over to help launch a project to provide working sanitation.
Simon said: “We wanted to make the school as attractive and accessible as possible for the children, because it’s so important for them to be educated if they are to have a chance to do something different with their lives. “We take so much for granted, and it put things in perspective to meet the children who have nothing, yet are so happy with their lives.” Simon went to talk to the students at Meadowbrook Primary School in Bradley Stoke, where his children are pupils, before the trip, and the school kindly donated all the money they raised at an anti-bullying day to the school in Bangalore. Simon is planning to go back to the local school to talk about his experiences and explain how the money was spent.
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Horizons Community Review 2015
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Everything you need to know about the Bristol’s most exciting interactive engineering event for young people. What is TeenTech? It’s where children’s minds are stimulated and their eyes opened to the wonders of science, technology, engineering and maths. It’s where they discover that these subjects can be the most fascinating and fabulous areas of study and work. It’s where they might discover the spark that ignites the flames of their own passion for innovation.
Some 300 students from 26 schools from South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath, North Somerset and North East Somerset came to the 2014 event with their teachers. Airbus is the key sponsor of the North Wales event.
When and where? TeenTech 2014 South West ran for the second time at the South Gloucestershire Cricket Ground. The 2015 event will take place in Bristol in October.
TeenTech is an award-winning event that gives young visitors a chance to explore the ever-expanding world of science, technology, engineering and maths – the so called ‘STEM’ subjects. It’s not an exhibition. It’s a place where students aged 12 and 13 can immerse themselves in exciting and interesting activities all connected to careers in STEM-based industries where there is a growing shortage of candidates with the relevant skills and qualifications. At TeenTech, the young people can carry out experiments, design and build their own creations and find out how the most up to date technologies are used to innovate and develop. They can also meet young people working in exciting roles within STEM industries. Airbus Head of Corporate Responsibility Jill Hutchinson said: “Airbus supports TeenTech as part of its youth engagement programme because we want to capture the imaginations of young people at an age when they’re starting to think about their future choices. “The aim of TeenTech is to inspire young people, to give them a taste of some of the opportunities available and the chance to meet young professionals, both male and female from a range of different backgrounds.
“There is still a perception that careers in Science, Technology and Engineering are ‘difficult’, ‘geeky’ or ‘boring’ – TeenTech demonstrates that the opposite is true! “We want to dispel the myths and show the students that they could be involved in inventing robots that dance, talk and carry out keyhole surgery, use apps to design machines for space travel, work at the cutting edge of games design, use technology to help preserve the rainforests and design the wings for the next generation aircraft.” After the 2014 event, every teacher questioned said they would definitely bring their students along to another TeenTech and 100% of companies said they would happily exhibit again. More importantly, after experiencing TeenTech, more than 40% of students said they would like to become an engineer and 35% a scientist – that’s a 19% increase from when the same students were asked about future careers before the event, proving that TeenTech challenges gender and career stereotypes and stimulates interest.
Why is Airbus involved with TeenTech? Who is behind TeenTech? TeenTech is the brainchild of former Tomorrow’s World presenter Maggie Philbin, one of the first women ever to bring science to a mainstream UK audience and Chris Dodson OBE, Dodson OBE, engineer and chairman of the Mortimer Technology Group. They wanted to help the X Factor generation understand their true potential and the real opportunities available in the contemporary STEM workplace. Around 30 different organisations, including businesses and universities, run interactive displays at the event. These are specifically designed to be attractive and interesting to young visitors. Most of the stands are staffed by young professionals who can relate to the students and persuade them that working in STEM areas is anything but boring. Ambassadors, mainly Airbus apprentices, guide the students through the day.
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Firstly, it’s because we think TeenTech is a brilliant initiative and it’s one we’re keen to support! Secondly, it’s because we are passionate about engineering and technology and we want to help pass on our enthusiasm to the next generation. We want to dispel gender stereotypes and career perceptions that young people might have about careers in our industry. Thirdly, it’s because there’s a global skills shortage in the STEM subject areas.
Anything else we should know? TeenTech also runs a national awards programme and Airbus sponsors the ‘Transport of the Future’ category of the awards. Schools are invited to put together teams to work on a project. Airbus engineers offer support to the teams and help them develop their projects. The finalists are invited to exhibit at The Royal Society in London, and the winners go to Buckingham Palace.
TeenTech is the most important thing I’ve ever done. Young people need immersive encounters with science; they need to talk to engineers. At events like this, they have a real sense of how big, diverse and exciting the world of science and technology is, and how they could have a part in it.
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Maggie Philbin
Meet some of our young interns and employees
To find out more about Airbus
airbus.com
Whilst at college, I visited an Airbus event at Filton, saw the wings being made and, after talking to numerous employees, knew this was where I wanted to be. My real passion for aeronautical engineering comes from the complexity of making a 200-tonne aircraft fly as if it was weightless, how the physics of the aircraft work and how what seems impossible is happening right in front of you.
What I like about Airbus is the fact that it creates a culture of diversity, multiculturalism and open-mindedness and an atmosphere of mutual trust, recognition and accountability. I value that Airbus can meet its employees’ development needs by nurturing our full potential and providing us with an environment within which we can thrive
Harry Swann, Bristol.
Simona Dimitrova, Southmead.
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I have enjoyed representing Airbus on many occasions at events such as the Farnborough Air Show where I helped with a STEM activity for school pupils and talked to many people about the careers available at Airbus. I also proactively volunteered at the Royal International Air Tattoo air show. Nikul Bhadasia, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol.
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Horizons Community Review 2015
Industrial Cadets scheme
grows
An innovative scheme to inspire more girls to consider careers in engineering is coming into its third year at Airbus Filton.
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“It was one of the most fun, well organised and supported STEM events we have attended as a school and we won’t want to miss another one. One of the strengths was having an apprentice with our group throughout the day. He was a truly excellent ambassador for STEM and Airbus”
“It was a brilliant day. I learned all about apps and it’s made me want to be an engineer.” Aleysha, age 13, South Gloucestershire
They were given a tour of the site, found out about the kind of work that takes places, and met a variety of Airbus’ female employees, ranging from apprentices to the women leading the latest wing design projects. This gave them the opportunity to learn more about advanced aeronautical engineering and the high-tech global world of aviation. They also took part in a range of activities including project management and teambuilding skills. After that, they were asked to work on an environmental project with the help of Airbus mentors.
Rachel Beddoes, teacher from The Castle School, Thornbury
“We’re getting great support from our graduates and apprentices who are transferring their knowledge to the students. It’s really important to students coming from the schools to talk to people they can relate to. They have more confidence asking questions to their peers. Many of our young employees are STEM ambassadors who already have experience of going into schools.”
Called Industrial Cadets, it’s a ten-week programme for girls aged 12 to 14. During 2014, 60 students from local schools took part.
“The wing academy is really engaging the students; they’re asking questions and are keen to understand how it works. As a graduate, I was in the same position as them less than 10 years ago and I remember how important it was to be motivated. We had a visitor come into our school to do something similar with us and that was what helped me decide to follow this career.”
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Elliot Donnelly, Airbus Graduate
Tony Rooke, Airbus Head of Early Careers Filton
The initiative was instigated by His Royal Highness Prince Charles in 2013 and has been gaining momentum since then. Mark Stewart, Airbus General Manager and Human Resources Director said: “Demand for engineers is growing world-wide and Airbus wants to recruit the best irrespective of gender. Airbus offers fantastic global career opportunities and would like to encourage more women to follow careers in aerospace not only in engineering but across a range of disciplines.” Molly Henrysmith, a pupil from Bristol’s City Academy, said: “We definitely would do it again because it was an interesting topic learning new facts and having our own important roles.” Dr Carrie Rosser from Bristol Grammar School said: “Every pupil said they had enjoyed the experience and a significant number reported they are more likely to consider a career in engineering. The willing involvement of Airbus engineers who visited us was a key factor in the success of the programme.”
My time at Airbus so far has been fantastic. I have been given so many great opportunities from which I have learnt the importance of concise time management and being prepared for anything! One of my first tasks was to help organise the ‘Pegasus House Open Doors’ event where I discovered the wonderful history behind the building and met fascinating members of the community whom had worked here during the war.
I’ve had so many brilliant opportunities given to me since I started at Airbus. Working here has allowed me to see the practical applications of the knowledge I’ve gained at University, everywhere from component development up to aircraft manufacture. I particularly enjoyed my tour of the A350 XWB Final Assembly Line – gave me a better understanding of the efficiency of the process.”
Aviation and aerospace have always been a passion for me. I flew solo in a glider at the age of 16 and completed my Private Pilot’s Licence two years later. Working for Airbus has exposed me to the cutting-edge facilities and processes of a global leader in the industry. Once I have developed a strong, technical foundation in my current role as a fatigue and damage tolerance engineer, I am keen to work abroad.
Vivien Lebbon, Bristol.
Aisling O’Brien, Bristol.
Hal Willis, Stapleton, Bristol.
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I’ve always been keen to learn and discover new things. At home, I learned how things work by stripping them apart and discovering different mechanisms. Since I’ve been with Airbus I’ve been involved in so many projects and learned so many new things. I’d like to be a role model, to help encourage more girls into engineering. Gosha Barzowska, Bristol.
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Horizons Community Review 2015
NEWS IN BRIEF Airbus wins Heart Safe award Airbus was awarded the 2014 Heart Safe award for Manufacturing Business of the Year for the third year running. The award celebrates a business that has invested in life-saving equipment and staff training to provide a Heart Safe environment for its employees and customers. Filton was presented with a separate award recognising the company’s commitment to encouraging healthy and active lifestyles.
Employees celebrate ‘swanniversary’ Airbus Filton employees visited Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the world’s longest running animal research projects into the Bewick’s swan. Those employees who won golden tickets in a charity chocolate bar raffle were invited to join the celebrations.
Digging for Bristol Airbus graduates have built an educational garden for Wordsworth Community Centre in Lockleaze, Bristol. It is part of the Graduate Development Project in which Airbus graduates work with the local youth group, teaching young people how to grow their own healthy food in a sustainable way.
‘Very Good’ for Barnwell House Barnwell House, the flagship building at Filton’s Aerospace Park, has achieved a Very Good BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Assessment Method) rating. Steve Fowles, Airbus in the UK Head of Buildings and Construction said this was a significant milestone for the project.
Andy is on track for Paralympic glory Airbus employee Andy Lewis is racing towards victory in the 2016 Olympic games in Rio. Andy, who works in the Procurement department at Filton, has been going from strength to strength since he took up competitive running six years ago. Since then he has proved himself to be one of the fastest and most talented competitors in his class, in the world. He was a bronze medallist in the 2014 ITU World Paratriathlon and is the current British Elite Champion for Paraduathlon. Following this success, he was selected to train with the elite British squad with a view to competing in the Brazil Olympics next year. All these are incredible achievements, but all his adult life Andy has proved himself a determined and ambitious achiever. Andy left school in 1999 aged 16 and applied to join the Parachute Regiment, but just before he was due to attend a training course he was involved in a motorcycle accident and spent more than four months in hospital with a badlyinjured leg. Doctors did all they could to save the leg, but it caused persistent pain and problems and Andy eventually decided amputation was the best option.
Andy is now part of a small group of athletes worldwide to compete with an above-knee amputation. He has been working with experts from the University of Gloucestershire’s high-tech Performance Lab to make the most of his talent. “I am proud of what I’ve achieved, but I’m also determined to give back to the community,” said Andy. “I enjoy working with children to show them that disability is nothing to be afraid of and that everyone is different, everyone is an individual. I especially enjoy mentoring disabled children in sport and talking to children in schools, and to community groups to share my story and to motivate others, as I do with my own children.”
One force of nature has been helping engineers develop a car powered by another.
Miles of smiles
airbus.com
He managed to raise the £8,000 he needed to buy the leg and has been competing with it ever since.
Wind tunnel helps develop solar-powered car
Airbus teams caused a splash in the cardboard boat race at the Bristol Harbour Festival. One team won an award for demonstrating team spirit, and a second finished the race third. Engineer Praveen Rajendran explained that the cardboard craft had to be able to complete a 250metre race.
To find out more about Airbus
In 2009, he joined Lydney Boxing Club, where he had been a member as a child, eventually becoming a coach there. But the 2012 Paralympics provided the incentive Andy needed to research into a ‘blade’ running leg.
* Follow Andy’s progress on Twitter: @Bladerunnerandy.
Engineering with cardboard
Airbus sponsored two Air Smiles Days during 2014. The first, held at Cotswold Airport, was for a young, visually impaired person who was nominated by the charity Action for Blind People. More than 40 young carers and their support network from the Bristol and South Gloucestershire branch of the Carers Support Centre enjoyed a series of activities including a flight at the second fly2help Air Smiles Day at Bristol Airport.
After this Andy realised he was the only person who could change his life. He learned to walk with a new prosthetic leg and, in 2007, applied for a Disabled Flying Scholarship. After an intensive selection process at RAF Cranwell he was picked to receive flight training, eventually passing his pilot’s licence and proving that anything is possible with determination! He subsequently took part in a flying challenge raising £38,000 for the charity.
Experts in Filton’s Wind Tunnel worked with a talented team of young engineers from Cambridge University on a new, solar car designed to travel thousands of kilometres. The team are members of a society called Cambridge University Eco Racing, and have designed and built a prototype solar-powered car in their own time. They plan to enter the car, called ‘Resolution’ after Captain Cook’s ship, into the 3,000km trans-Australia World Solar Challenge this year. Mick Simmons is in charge of the Wind Tunnel. He explained that his team has helped the students work on the car’s aerodynamics.
“They’re a highly-motivated group of talented young engineers so we were happy to work with them on this project before they move into the next phase where the car is enhanced or redesigned,” said Mick. Tom Hillman is technical lead of the student team which is supported by a range of industrial partners. He said: “This is an amazing opportunity for us to gain hands-on experience in a professional wind tunnel, to benefit from expert advice and to learn from the professionals.”
Horizons Community Review 2015
NEWS IN BRIEF Injured service people visit Filton
Visitors flock through
doors
Almost 300 visitors completed heritage tours of Pegasus House as part of the South Gloucestershire ‘Open Doors’ Discover Festival weekend. Employees were invited to show their families around the iconic building on Friday afternoon and external visitors were welcomed on Saturday and Sunday. The visitors were told about the history of the site by young employees, who also showed them heritage areas and artefacts within the building. The tours were hugely popular, and were a great opportunity for former employees to catch up with the latest Airbus news and even to reunite with their friends and colleagues. Head of Corporate Responsibility Jill Hutchinson said: “We knew there was a great interest and affection for Pegasus House within the wider community and the response was as enthusiastic as we’d expected.
“It was a privilege to meet many people who used to work on the site as well as those who wanted to find out more about Airbus and residents who have passed the building for years and always wanted to have a look inside.” Kathleen Abbey, now 93, started work in Pegasus House, then called Filton House, in 1939 and hadn’t been inside the building for almost 70 years. She visited with her daughter and son-in-law, Geraldine and Peter White. Mrs Abbey remembers the War years very clearly, and also the strong sense of family and playing cricket on Bristol Downs with her colleagues after work in the summer months. Richard Harris worked in the building from 1962 to 1980, mainly on Concorde. He said: “It’s great to come back and see inside again. When I was here, employees were restricted to certain parts of the building so today I’ve seen inside rooms I hadn’t seen before. My time working in aerospace was phenomenal, so it’s good to relive it.”
Flight Fun Days at Bristol Zoo
The visit to the A400M Wing Manufacturing Facility was organised by Airbus Diversity Champions as a progression of a programme to provide work experience to people with disabilities. Employees Antony Sealey and Derek Segger were working with organisations that help soldiers who have been seriously injured in the course of duty, or who have become sick, to integrate back into the community as part of their recovery outreach programme.
Andy’s art flies high A painting by Airbus engineer Andy Bill formed part of a prestigious art exhibition called Above Bristol as part of the city’s Balloon Fiesta Fringe. Andy, an Engineering Specialist in landing gear monitoring systems, paints a variety of subjects in oils, watercolours and acrylics. His hot air balloon pictures are particularly popular.
Airbus role models Female employees spoke to sixth form students at an event organised by the Girls’ Day School Trust to showcase engineering careers. Jenny Body OBE, former Airbus head of Research and Technology and Business Development and the first female president of the Royal Aeronautical Society gave the key note speech.
Human Resources Award The Airbus Human Resources team has won a prestigious award for the quality of the experience offered to intern Charlotte Waters. Charlotte, who is studying Tourism Management at the University of Surrey, worked with the team in Filton during 2013-14.
Airbus supports centenary poppy campaign Young visitors to Bristol Zoo found out what exactly it is that makes aeroplanes, rockets and bats fly. They took part in a series of exciting and fun activities in an Airbus marquee at the Zoo during the summer. It was part of an initiative between Airbus and the Zoo to help youngsters understand how things fly in the natural world and what aircraft manufacturers can learn from the creatures who are at home in the air, including birds, bats and insects. Airbus graduates were on hand to answer questions and help stimulate an interest in flight amongst the potential engineers of the future. Children made and flew their own planes, they learnt about propulsion and projected planes across the zoo lawn. They also experimented with different materials and angles in a wind tunnel and learnt about lift. To continue the fun at home the children were given cut out and fly aeroplanes to take away. Mother of two, Sarita Thomas from Chepstow said “The children enjoyed colouring in the pictures of the bats and the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable.”
Chris Allen, Luke Witt 7, and Sam Witt 5, being instructed on how to use the gas powered rocket booster by Alex Lycett and Adnan Mahmood
Ellen Stonehouse, Fuel System Avionics Engineer said: “The flight education days are perfect because they explain flight principles to younger people in a simple yet visually exciting way.” Airbus employees regularly volunteer at the zoo as part of the company’s commitment to education and environment. The business has a longstanding sponsorship of the Livingstone’s fruit bat conservation project with the main aim of eliminating the ongoing threats to the existence of this rare species.
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Airbus supported the Royal British Legion’s Centenary Poppy Campaign to cover the UK with poppies to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I. Poppies were grown in a special garden outside Pegasus House at Filton and employees also had the chance to buy seeds to sow in their own gardens or community areas, with all proceeds being donated to the Royal British Legion.
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Employees at Airbus Filton have completed a fabulous two-year Charity Challenge partnership with Alzheimer’s Society – a partnership that was so successful it smashed right through its fundraising target!
It’s farewell Alzheimer’s This was the first time Airbus has teamed up with a charity for two years, which meant employees had more time to organise more events and to raise even more money than usual. At the time of going to print, the amount raised for Alzheimer’s Society by Filton site, and its sister site in Broughton, North Wales, was tantalising close to £250,000! Once all the outstanding money has been collected, it is hoped we will have reached the quarter of a million pounds figure.
Society…
…and hello to
A further £150,000 has been collected for other charities supported by individuals and groups within Airbus in the UK. The money has been raised through a host of events, activities and challenges. Some of them, sponsored boat races, dressing up days and cake sales, were just for fun. Some, including cycling, running, walking and other challenges, were really tough. Some, such as the golf days, and Memory Walks, combined both aspects. As well as all this, Filton volunteers have also been giving up their free time to help people in need. Filton’s Charity Challenge coordinators Jan Lane and Hayley Christopher-Lee said: “This was a charity that people were very keen to support because almost every family is affected by Alzheimer’s in one way or another. We’re extremely proud of everyone at Airbus for all they’ve done with such good humour and enthusiasm.” Alzheimer’s Society is the leading support and research charity for people with dementia, their families and cares. There are 850,000 people with dementia in the UK with numbers set to rise to over 1 million by 2021. The money raised by Airbus will be used to fund support services in Filton and the surrounding areas, including a sports and social club, memory cafes, support groups and dementia support which gives individuals information and signposting to services. It is also paying for a PhD research project and going towards a Dementia Support service that helps people with dementia maintain their independence, improve their sense of well-being and take control of their own lives. Bethan Wood, Corporate Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society said: “Airbus funding these services means we can offer support and advice to more people living with dementia and their carers in the area, providing a vital lifeline to those in need. “Airbus’ support over the past two years has made a huge difference to people living with dementia and their carers. It’s also helped us to raise awareness of the condition, and of the issues it brings to those who live with it.”
Following a UK-wide employee vote, the next Airbus in the UK Charity Challenge partner charity is Hospice UK. Filton’s Charity Challenge Coordinator Jan Lane said: “This is a wonderful charity and a hugely popular choice amongst our Bristol-based employees. So many of us know people who have been helped by a hospice, and the work they do is invaluable – we are delighted and proud to be working with Hospice UK for the next two years.” Hospice UK is the national charity for hospice care, championing and supporting the work of more than 200 hospices across the country through campaign and policy work, grants programmes and fundraising. The partnership with Airbus in the UK will help Hospice UK to continue their vital work, as well as directly benefit three hospices in Bristol and the South West. Peter Hornby, Director of Fundraising at Hospice UK has said… “Hospices make every moment count for patients and their families. Hospice care can be anything from pain relief and caring for someone in their own home, to arranging for a patient’s favourite pet to visit them in the hospice. Everyone at Hospice UK is delighted to be working with Airbus in the UK and we want to thank everyone for their fantastic support.” Every year over 120,000 adults, children, babies and their families are cared for by their local hospice. This includes people living with terminal or life-limiting conditions such as cancer, heart and lung disease, motor neurone disease and dementia. Hospice care is provided free to patients, and can be provided at home, in the hospice and in the local community for days, weeks, months or even years.
The South West hospices to be directly supported by the partnership between Airbus in the UK and Hospice UK are: Children’s Hospice South West provides the only residential hospice care in the South West for children with life-limiting conditions. Sadly this means that these children are not expected to survive into adulthood. There are three hospices across the South West, including Charlton Farm, in Bristol, providing respite care and support for those children and their families who have to cope with the most difficult of situations. Jessie May Trust – Jessie May Nurses provide specialist care at home so families can make the most of the precious remaining time they have together. The nurses make respite visits for as long as they are needed – providing parents with expert help to care for their children, emotional support to help them cope with their worries and fears and relief from the acute isolation they often feel. When the time comes, Jessie May Nurses will provide children or babies with intensive end of life care and go on supporting their families through their loss for up to five years. St Peter’s Hospice – St Peter’s Hospice is Bristol’s only adult hospice. They aim to improve the quality of their patient’s life and how they live with their illness, while extending care and support to families and loved ones. It offers many services, ranging from a day hospice, an 18 bed in-patient unit and Hospice at Home service to a 24 hour help line, and physical, psychological, spiritual care and bereavement support for over 2,400 patients and 6,000 family members every year.
In the past ten years, more than £5.5 million and more than 7,800 days’ worth of volunteering have been donated to charities by Airbus in the UK employees.
Graduates’ grand design Airbus graduates have made a prototype activity ball to help stimulate and entertain people living with dementia. Called Pass the Ball, it’s the result of more than 18 months’ research, working with people with dementia, their carers, and Alzheimer’s Society. It is a lightweight sphere designed to prompt memories and instigate social interactions via a combination of lights, vibration and music. The concept originated after the team established the importance of giving people with dementia opportunities to reminisce, talk and laugh together. The prototype has been preloaded with a selection of music from different decades and tested at care homes in the Bristol area, giving residents and staff the opportunity to try it out and pass on their feedback. The team used the feedback to improve the prototype.
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© AIRBUS OPERATIONS LTD. Pegasus House, Aerospace Avenue, Filton Bristol, BS34 7PA, United Kingdom, 2014. All rights reserved. Airbus, its logo and the product names are registered trademarks. Concept design by Graphic Design Services, +44 (0)117 936 4451. Printed in United Kingdom. Reference 9900-07, February 2015.