Farnborough Aerospace Consortium (FAC) has strengthened ties with its partner organisation in Poland following a meeting at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Aviation Valley Cluster and FAC signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ at the 2022 show and the organisations have been working closely ever since. FAC is now planning a mission to Poland in October and aims to take a number of its members.

A large delegation from Poland attended a reception at the FAC’s show stand, which included the country’s Deputy Ambassador Bartosz Wisniewski. He said:

“The Polish aviation industry spans well over 80 years of scientific and engineering work, centred in Poland’s south-east regions. Cities like Swidnik and Mielec are the cradles of Polish aviation and innovation. Last year, the Polish Aviation Valley Cluster, with Rzeszow as its centre, celebrated 20 years since its inception.”

He continued: “Creating a positive image of the sector, which is notorious for its carbon footprint, is perhaps the most immediate task. Down the road, issues of competitiveness are likely to gain prominence. In this context, the UK can serve as an example of a country which has set very ambitious goals. And so Polish companies, which are already deeply involved in the global supply chains for the aviation sector, will need to adapt.”

He said he was pleased that the FAC and its members were developing closer ties with the aerospace industry in Poland.

Graham Chisnall, chairman of FAC, said:

“We are planning a mission to Poland in October to build on the ‘memorandum of understand’ we signed in 2022 at the last show. The events of the last two years have only enhanced the reasons to seek mutual co-operation.”

Above Photo

(l-r) Rafal Kulig, Cllr from Rzeszow in Poland, Karol Cienkus, from the Polish Embassy’s economic department, Karol Fijolek, Mayor of Rzeszow, Bartosz Wisniewski, Deputy Ambassador, Graham Chisnall, FAC chairman, Wladyslaw Ortyl, governor of the Rzeszow region, Rafal Owczarek, head of the London office of the Polish investment and trade department at the embassy, and Alan Fisher, FAC CEO.

• www.fac.org.uk