Ian Sheppard has acted as Editor International Show Editions for AIN since June 2013. Based in the Redhill, England, Ian reports for the various AIN publications as well as providing support to International Editor Charles Alcock in covering international air shows (such as Farnborough, Paris, Singapore and Dubai), and the EBACE and MEBA business aviation events. His central role is to cover Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Prior to becoming more involved with AIN in mid-2011 (initially as deputy international editor), Ian worked for various aviation publications through his company, First Aerospace Media. This included being part of the AIN team covering daily news at international air shows.
Ian has worked for publications such as Flight International (technical reporter, 1997-8) and Aerospace International (editor, 1999-2000). He was publications manager at Airclaims (Ascend) between 2000 and 2004 before forming First Aerospace Media. Since mid-2009 Ian has also been managing editor of Regional International, the journal of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA).
Ian hasis working towards a European commercial pilot licence, having held an FAA private pilot license in 1991, and instructor rating. He also has a degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Bath, England, and a graduate diploma in law from Kingston University, and is a graduate of the legal practice course (College of Law, Guildford).

Editor

Ian Sheppard

Rolls-Royce turned to GKN for help in alleviating service-life limitations caused by harsh heat and environmental conditions inside some of its engines. GKN’s engineers considered the problem very carefully and, somewhat unusually these days, concluded that the answer didn’t lie with advanced composite materials.
What GKN proposed was a new titanium honeycomb design for engine core fairings that deliver a service life of around five to six years. “It gives a long life cycle and can handle 25 percent higher temperatures, so it doesn’t need the surface treatments that composites do,” explained Mike McCann, senior v-p business development and strategy. “It also is weight neutral and has overall system benefits for the OEM.”
GKN also has established a strong specialization in aero engines, for example, supplying titanium honeycomb inner core fairings to Rolls-Royce (see box, above, below). According to Bryson, it won this contract by offering niche technology, “which was unique because it replaced a piece of composite.” The company is now exploring other applications for the same materials and design combination.
“If you’re not careful, you get tunnel vision that composites can solve anything,” commented GKN CEO Marcus Bryson. “This [new design] shows that this is not always the case. As a business, we have deliberately–perhaps belatedly–focused on metallics, as well. We need to ensure that we have the right technologies in both areas.”

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