OTTAWA, Nov. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At an awards ceremony last evening, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) announced that the Operations team led by Benoit Beaudoin at Pratt & Whitney Canada are the recipients of the 2017 James C. Floyd Award for Aerospace Achievement in recognition of their important contributions to Canadian aerospace success, both domestically and in the global marketplace.
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“The creation of the Mirabel Aerospace Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Centres are a significant achievement that have revolutionized manufacturing innovation and productivity not only for Pratt & Whitney Canada, but for their Canadian aerospace suppliers and partners as well,” said Jim Quick, President and CEO of AIAC. “Mr. Beaudoin and his team have led the development of next-generation advanced manufacturing facilities and processes, making Canadian aerospace more competitive and creating new opportunities for Canadian aerospace employees. We are proud to congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition of their success.”
“Innovation is at the heart of what we do at Pratt & Whitney Canada, and we are honoured to accept this in recognition of our investment in advanced manufacturing technology and the skills of our Canadian workforce,” said Benoit Beaudoin, Vice President, Operations, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “What we accomplished at the Mirabel Aerospace Centre and the Advanced Manufacturing Centres was truly a collaborative effort, bearing the fingerprints of many members of the aerospace industry; all of whom embraced the challenge of creating a blueprint for the future of Canadian aerospace manufacturing.”
Mr. Beaudoin and his team led the industrialization of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Mirabel Aerospace Centre (MAC) and the development of its Advanced Manufacturing Centres (AMCs) in Longueuil and Halifax, working with over 40 suppliers, universities and colleges over the course of the projects’ development. These next-generation aerospace facilities, which include best-in-class productivity and machining capability, raise industry standards for lean manufacturing, health and safety, environmental sustainability and high-performance work systems. The results demonstrate the innovation and technologies which will be needed to maintain Canada as a global leader in aerospace manufacturing in the future.
The James C. Floyd Award
Established in 2009 in honour of the chief engineer on the Avro Arrow project, AIAC’s James C. Floyd Award for aerospace achievement is an annual award that honours exceptional contributions to the Canadian aerospace sector. Nominations are submitted by AIAC members and evaluated by an independent review panel. Presented during the Canadian Aerospace Dinner, which is held at the annual Canadian Aerospace Summit, the James C. Floyd Award is given to visionary individuals or teams whose contributions have made a difference in the industry.
This year’s James C. Floyd award is sponsored by Bell Helicopter. The AIAC would like to thank Bell Helicopter and its President Cynthia Garneau for supporting this prestigious award.
James C. Floyd
James C. Floyd is one the great figures in Canada’s aviation history. As chief designer for Avro Canada, Mr. Floyd played a central role in the development of some of the greatest planes ever produced in Canada – including the C102 Jetliner, the CF 100 fighter and the Avro Arrow. Members of his design and engineering team later played key roles in America’s Apollo project to put a man on the Moon.
After the cancellation of the Avro Arrow project, Mr. Floyd established his own international aviation consulting company and made contributions to a number of state-of-the-art projects around the world.
In 1950, Mr. Floyd became the first non-American recipient of the Wright Bros. Medal for his work on jet transport technology, specifically the design of the Avro Canada Jetliner, the world’s first regional jet passenger aircraft. He was consultant to the British Ministry of Technology on the Concorde project from 1965 to 1972.
Mr. Floyd was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame in 1993.
AIAC is the national association representing Canada’s aerospace manufacturing and services sector. As the world’s fifth-largest aerospace industry, Canada’s aerospace sector contributes nearly $28B to the economy in GDP, exports 80% of its output, and dedicates over 20% of its activity to research and development (R&D). Aerospace is responsible for the employment of 208,000 Canadians.
CONTACT: For information: Kristen VanderHoek Senior Director, Communications and Marketing Aerospace Industries Association of Canada 613 232-4297 x225, [email protected]