IFA Celebrates 50 Years!
Thoughts from our CEO, John Vincent
50 years of airworthiness has been 50-years of advancing technology. It’s been 50-years of finding our way from an analogue world to a digital one.
The term “personal computer” was first coined in 1975. Bill Gates and Paul Allen licensed their BASIC programming language. Many engineers had their first experience of computer programming in BASIC.
The commercial aircraft industry has an impressive record of innovation but computers where a novelty in the aircraft of half a decade ago. Now, it would be unthinkable to design, build and operate a large aircraft that wasn’t fully computerised.
Safety has improved. Air traffic has increased. Flying remains affordable. And that’s down to tens of thousands of dedicated, hardworking professionals as much as it is to technology.
What will the next 50-years bring? More automation? More autonomous systems? More connectivity? Almost certainly, but what the mix will be and what role people will play in future aviation systems, that’s where predictions become challenging.
