Riding Two Horses: The British Aviation Industry's Position vis-à-vis Boeing and Airbus Industrie

Abstract

Boeing began to focus on Britain in 1977, and wanted to attract it away from the European consortium Airbus Industrie. Boeing's grand design was that British aviation companies (British Aerospace [BAe], Rolls-Royce, and British Airways) would participate in the Boeing 757 project. However, BAe rejected the Boeing offer and preferred to join the European Airbus Industrie. Following negotiations, BAe rejoined the European consortium Airbus Industrie, British Airways purchased the 757, and Rolls-Royce became the launch supplier for the 757, which featured its RB211-535 engine. This engine became the best-selling engine Trent. The British aircraft industry was thus finally able to "ride two horses"-namely, the United States and continental Europe.