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Reaching a height of 150 feet, that pioneering flight was the start
of a fascinating journey that has seen the West of England become
one of the world’s leading centres of aerospace engineering
and technology.
The British & Colonial Aeroplane Company
and the Bristol Aeroplane Company Ltd, were registered on the
same day in 1910, but the business initially only traded under
the first name. Its aircraft were universally known as ‘Bristols’ and
the firm adopted the latter name in 1920, becoming just ‘the
BAC’ for generations of local people. BAC spawned Bristol Cars Ltd, Bristol Aero Engines Ltd, British Aircraft Corporation,
British Aerospace (Filton), Bristol Engines Division of Rolls-Royce,
BAE Systems and Airbus, among many other ventures.
In 2010 the centenary of the birth of aircraft
production in Filton offers
an opportunity to celebrate a century of innovation, risk-taking
and adventure, as well as to look to future challenges and aspirations
in aviation design, travel and the wider role of technology in
creating
prosperity and quality of life in the city-region.
In 2006 Brunel 200 celebrated the bicentenary
of the birth of Isambard Kingdom Brunel with exhibitions, educational
programmes, publications, arts projects, competitions, debates
and talks. In 2010 how should we mark the 100th anniversary of
the birth of the aviation industry in the West of England which
has transformed our means of travel in ways Brunel could never
have imagined?
Please see the column opposite for current proposals
and how you can get involved.
This website will develop into an extensive resource
about BAC and the 2010 events. In the meantime visit the Aviation
Archive to find out more about this remarkable company.
The Bristol Aero Collection is on display at Kemble. For visitor
information, news of activities and links, visit the museum website.
Download the 2008 BAC 100 brochure here in PDF or Word format
for further details of the proposals to date. You may need Acrobat
Reader to open the PDF. Download here.
BAC 100 is a partnership initiative including:
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| A major exhibition
in Bristol on one hundred years of aviation history. |
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| An exhibition in Filton
based on the gathering of oral histories. |
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Mini exhibitions throughout
the West of
England on contemporary and future
technology. |
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| A community play devised
and performed by the people of Filton. |
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| Bristol Aircraft
100 – a fully illustrated book on the West
of England aerospace industry. |
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| Local trail guides. |
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| A BAC 100 graphic-style
history of flight. |
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| Teaching resources
and a programme of school visits to enthuse young people
about engineering and technology. |
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| Short stories and writing
competitions on an aviation theme. |
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Scientific and engineering
fun-day
‘challenges’. |
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| A flyover, air show
or recreation of pioneering flights. |
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| A Bristol Car
Club parade and rally. |
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| A Great Reading Adventure
based on the mass-reading of a classic of aviation literature. |
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| Debates, talks and
conferences. |
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| Making worldwide connections
to countries linked to the company. |
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| An extensive education programme (see outline proposal here) |
This is just the beginning of planning the
celebrations. We would welcome your own ideas and proposals.
These will then form the basis for funding applications and
approaches for sponsorship.
To be added to the BAC 100 mailing list and to
contribute your suggestions please complete the registration
form.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Photograph of Sir George White, courtesy
of Airbus. Photograph of the Bristol Flying School at Larkhill
by T L Fuller (c) J T Fuller. Mercury engine installation diagram,
courtesy of BAC/Rolls-Royce. Selection of old postcards from the collection of Jackie Sims. Photograph of A380 over Clifton Suspension Bridge courtesy of Airbus SAS 2006. Photograph of Concorde, c 1974 courtesy of BAC/Rolls-Royce plc. Computer generated image of A350 XWB courtesy of Airbus. |
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