Fang Lang hesitated and asked about the name and model of the Henderson family aircraft company, wanting to see if he had heard of it.
But I am worried whether the information will be confidential.
I don’t know if I can tell myself.
As a result, Mrs. Henderson said indifferently:
"Don't worry, this is nothing to keep secret. Our company received a commission from the British Aviation Department in 1945 to design and produce a large passenger aircraft that could fly across the ocean.
Our family's aircraft manufacturer was called the Bristol Company, and several aircraft were developed during the war.
According to the design plan, our aircraft will be more than fifty meters long, with a wingspan of more than seventy meters, and will be equipped with eight Centaur radial engines developed by the company.
The design range will reach 8,900 meters. "
This Bristol company doesn’t seem to be very good! I have never heard of it, and it seems that this model is not in mass production.
Historically, this aircraft model of the Bristol Company was called the Bristol Brabazon. The aircraft's speed and range were lower than the predetermined specifications, and the aluminum skin and internal frame were prone to fatigue cracks.
Therefore, mass production was not ultimately achieved.
In other words, all the research and development expenses for this aircraft were wasted.
"Mrs. Henderson, please forgive me, this aircraft is already behind the times. The UK should also be researching advanced jet airliners now!
Haven't you received relevant information? By researching both models at the same time, you were already lagging behind when you started developing them. "
"I heard that two factories are experimenting with jet aircraft, but now everyone is still uncertain about who is the future. Why do you think jet aircraft are the future?
Don't you know the fuel consumption of jet aircraft is amazing?
If used as a passenger aircraft, the economy is not very good. "
Mrs. Henderson obviously understands the differences between the two types of aircraft and is also very clear about the shortcomings of jet aircraft.
Unfortunately, thinking about the problem is still full of limitations.
But we can’t blame her. After all, the progress of science and technology often leads to disputes over routes.
This is also a world where the king is victorious and the bandits are defeated.
Fang Lang didn't know the final outcome of the Henderson family's aircraft manufacturing factory, but since it didn't become famous in later generations.
I guess it was because I took the wrong path that I became unknown!
However, Fang Lang had miscalculated on this point. Bristol Company was not an unknown company.
Perhaps this company lacks technical capabilities in manufacturing aircraft, but its ability to manufacture aircraft engines is still very strong.
Britain's famous Harrier fighter jet was developed in 1957 by Hawker Aircraft Company and Bristol Aero Engine Company.
However, due to poor management, Bristol was eventually acquired by Rolls-Royce in 1960 and became a company that produces aircraft engines.
“In fact, the fuel consumption of jet engines is indeed higher than that of piston engines at low speeds, but its excellent high-speed performance is destined to eliminate piston engines.
The development direction of aircraft must be towards higher, faster and farther, right? Piston engines naturally lag behind jet engines in this regard.
As for the fuel consumption you are worried about, as long as the plane flies into the stratosphere, the air is thinner and the resistance becomes smaller, which will naturally save fuel.
And there are many types of jet engines! As far as I know, the fuel economy of a turbofan engine is significantly better than that of a turbojet engine!
If you are worried about high fuel consumption, you can choose to use a more fuel-efficient turbofan engine as the engine of the passenger aircraft! "
Fang Lang directly knows the truth of the future through the fog of history, so he is accurately serious about the future.
There is no need to cross the river by feeling the stones like people do now.
Fang Lang's words indeed reminded Mrs. Henderson, and even Reinhardt interjected after listening to Fang Lang's analysis:
"Yes! Mom, I think Fang Lang got it right. Our family is so strapped for funds now and has invested in the wrong research and development direction. Is there any way to adjust the direction now?"
Mrs. Henderson looked a little ugly. She was just a businesswoman, not a scientist.
Therefore, she did not know much about the cutting-edge technology of aircraft, and she did not have a clear understanding of whether jet aircraft or piston aircraft were better.
But he could feel a hint of danger from Fang Lang's simple analysis.
If this is true as Fang Lang said, perhaps the large sum invested by the company will be wasted.
This is no small sum of money.
The entire project has a budget of several million pounds, and if the project goes wrong, it could put the company out of business, which she absolutely cannot accept.
Of course, he would not completely listen to Fang Lang and change the company's research and development direction.
"Fang, I believe in your vision, but this matter is very big.
Therefore, I need to organize experts to conduct discussions before I can decide how to proceed. "
But Fang Lang had some ideas of his own at this time.
"Mrs. Henderson, since your company can develop such a huge propeller aircraft, then its technology in manufacturing propeller aircraft must be quite powerful, right?"
“Of course, our company’s Centaur radial engine and Hercules radial engine are very advanced aerospace engine technologies.
At the same time, our company was the main manufacturer of bombers and transport aircraft for the British Army during the war, so you don't have to doubt our company's technical capabilities in the aviation industry. "
When talking about the brilliance of her company, Mrs. Henderson is not modest at all. After all, she has the capital to be proud of.
"Mrs. Henderson, are you interested in cooperating with me to build an aircraft manufacturing company in Brazil?"
Fang Lang looked at Mrs. Henderson expectantly.
"Oh! Fang is interested in entering the aviation industry, but will there be a market for building an aircraft manufacturing plant in Brazil?"
"Of course! Brazil's large farms are in great need of some light agricultural aircraft. Think about how easy it would be to use aircraft to spray pesticides at high altitudes."
As soon as she heard that Fang Lang was going to produce agricultural aircraft, Mrs. Henderson felt a little uninterested.
However, Fang Lang's relationship with their family was very close because of Reinhardt, so it was impossible to directly refuse Fang Lang's request for cooperation.
After thinking for a while, Mrs. Henderson said:
"Fang, you also know the current situation of our company. If it is really like what you said, our company may need to change its research direction, which will put great pressure on funds.
If you want a joint venture, our company may only be able to invest in technology. "
What Fang Lang wanted was Bristol Company's technical support.
Therefore, I was very happy to hear that Mrs. Henderson was willing to invest in technology.
Nodding and saying:
"No problem, but the main technical personnel in the early stage may also need to be provided by Bristol Company."
"Of course, but are you sure you will only build one factory to produce agricultural aircraft? In this case, the market will be a bit narrow and there won't be much development potential!"
After all, Mrs. Henderson is a businesswoman, so she is very concerned about the sales of her products.
If the two parties jointly established an aircraft manufacturing factory in Brazil, it would go bankrupt due to lack of market.
That can be considered a failed investment and will have a negative impact on his position on the board of directors.
"Haha... Madam, please rest assured. The reason why a small agricultural aircraft manufacturing factory was established is to save costs and solve any problems first.
As for the later stage, our family’s Fangyuan Group is now forming a military-industrial group.
If we have the ability to manufacture aircraft, of course we will start lobbying the government to purchase the aircraft we produce!
However, it is still difficult to say whether it will be able to obtain a purchase order from the government. "
Obviously, Fang Lang's idea is to use it for civilian use first, and then develop it for military use after he has complete technical strength.
For Mrs. Henderson, the involvement of large conglomerates in the country's military manufacturing is a symbol of a company's success.
Since the Fang Lang family's company can enter the military industry in Brazil.
That shows that the Fang family has a strong influence in Brazil.
This kind of partner is exactly what the Henderson family needs.
“If your group has a chance to obtain national orders, I think I can easily convince the board of directors to agree to cooperate with your family.
Originally, this was a big matter that required negotiators from the two companies to sit down and conduct long-term negotiations.
However, given the relationship between our two families, I can tell you clearly that there is no problem with this cooperation.
However, what proportion of shares do you think is more appropriate? "
When it comes to the issue of profit distribution, it is not good for both parties to be the first to speak, and it is not good for them to be too high or too low.
Fang Lang didn't know for a while how many shares he should give to Bristol, a technology company.
"Mrs. Henderson, our group has indeed never had this kind of cooperation. I wonder how you think the proportion of shares should be allocated more appropriately?"
Mrs. Henderson obviously understood Fang Lang's concerns, and she actually had an indifferent attitude towards Fang Lang's sudden proposal that the two companies cooperate to establish an aircraft manufacturing plant. He smiled and said:
"Fang, you don't have to worry so much. With the relationship between us, we only need to determine the company's investment scale and then value our technology."
"Then I wonder how much investment it would take to build an airport capable of producing agricultural aircraft?"
Hearing that Fang Lang still wanted to test the waters by producing agricultural aircraft first, Mrs. Henderson began to worry about whether she could convince the board of directors.
After all, the market and profits for agricultural aircraft are too small.
After thinking about it for a while, a new plan gradually took shape in my mind.
"It depends on what kind of strength your company wants to use. If it is just a simple aircraft assembly capability, tens of thousands of pounds is actually enough.
All parts can be purchased from us and then assembled back in Brazil, your factory will be very simple.
Even a small aircraft maintenance line can get the job done.
In this case, you don't need to join a joint venture with us and can assemble a production line by yourself. "
Hearing Mrs. Henderson's words, Fang Lang was startled. He seemed to have an aircraft maintenance line left by the US military!
If this maintenance line can be used to assemble aircraft, then there really is no technical content at all!
Moreover, Fang Lang suddenly thought of a new direction. The future world will be an era of global integration. Many factories design their own designs, then purchase parts suitable for them from around the world, and finally assemble them.
Just like the models produced by Embraer in later generations, most of them are produced in this way!
