When students from four secondary schools in Co. Clare attended a recent lunch hosted by Shannon Chamber in Dromoland Castle Hotel, not only were they treated to sumptuous food, but they were left in little doubt that aviation is a career worth considering.
With the executive chairman of Emerald Airlines and Dublin Aerospace, Conor McCarthy, as keynote speaker, and the general counsel of High Ridge Aviation, John Ludden, posing the questions, the discourse was enlightening not just for the students but also for the 170 people who attended the event, representative of the many different segments of aviation and business. This luncheon event was supported by High Ridge Aviation along with International Aerospace Coatings (IAC) and Eirtech Aviation Services.
In a fast-paced interview, McCarthy responded to questions on a wide range of topics such as the traits needed to be a successful aviation entrepreneur; the successes, challenges and mistakes he has faced in his career to date; the key attributes that have enabled his success in the many business ventures he has been associated with; his future plans for Emerald Airlines and Dublin Aerospace; sustainable aviation fuel and the industry’s carbon reduction commitments and; what aviation might look like in one hundred years.
Upfront in his responses to each question, he described aviation as one of the most exciting industries in the world, requiring dedication, faith, and trust and, while there may be many challenges, it’s a sector that offers enormous potential to anyone with a passion and interest in it.
Focusing on challenges and successes, he cautioned attendees to be careful of early success which can often lead to overconfidence, over expansion… the main reason for airline failures.
Noting the importance of choosing the right partners for your business, McCarthy added “Make sure they fit your business culture as moving in the wrong direction culturally can destroy a business from the inside.”
Commenting on his future plans and whether Shannon features in those plans, he described Shannon as an amazing airport that has achieved so much, not just in terms of the airport but in the cluster of aviation businesses now operating from Shannon.
Comparing Shannon to other regions of similar size in Europe, such as Pescara or Perpignan, or large city airports such as Hamburg and Birmingham, neither of which have one year around transatlantic flight, he said that Shannon, despite having three competitor airports within a 90-minute drive of its catchment, stands out as a huge success.
Responding to a question on the cap on passengers at Dublin Airport and the ability of Shannon and Cork airports to absorb the passenger overflow at Dublin, he said that it would be an extremely short-sighted strategy to build an airport on the back of another airport’s inability to cope in the short-term. He mentioned the Dublin Airport cap will be addressed as a matter of national importance, with reference to the new government’s recent commitment to resolving the issue.
“Shannon has amazing strengths, with great tourism products and experiences on its doorstep. It has the capacity to drive its own future and should focus on this to continue to build on its success.” he stated.
Looking ahead and describing Emerald Airlines as a fledgling airline, with a fleet of eighteen ATR-600 aircraft, designed for short-haul flights he said, that while the company has no plans to fly out of Shannon, should an opportunity arise in the future to consider a poorly served airport in the UK, it would not be ruled out.
“We know our niche. We are a regional airline supporting hub carriers and we will always look for opportunities where we can make money,” he added.
Referring to the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, in which Dublin Aerospace is a leading player, having opened a new landing gear facility in Ashbourne, County Meath, he called on the Government to review its treatment of aircraft hangar for commercial rates.
Contrasting hangars to non-rated barns in the agricultural sector, he said: “Aircraft hangars are large by nature, but a lot of the space is non-productive and should not be regarded as rateable space in the same way as an office building, for example. Change is needed,” he added.
McCarthy then went on to speak about the need for change in how we train aircraft engineers and technicians. While Ireland has a proud history of the aviation and particularly aircraft maintenance sectors, it’s clear the number of engineers and technicians and being trained today falls woefully short of the requirement of this growing industry. He mentioned there is a need for a complete overhaul of the way we train aircraft engineers in order to ensure it remains a vibrant industry here in Ireland.
When asked what the airline industry will look like at the turn of this century, he noted the huge transformation which we have witnessed in the aviation industry, bearing in mind that the first ever transatlantic flight (which landed in Clifden in 1919) occurred just over 100 years ago. In particular, focusing on aircraft fuel, he said that:
“Fuel burn has improved by a factor of eighteen and, while we may have a new fuel source in the future to impact this further, all players in the industry will have to move in sync if the potential of sustainable aviation fuel is to be realised. The burning question is: are governments committed to CO2 reduction?”
Thanking Conor Mc Carthy for a most insightful conversation, Shannon Chamber president, Eoin Gavin, said that the Chamber is equally passionate about aviation, particularly the role it can play in attaining balanced regional development in Ireland.
“The connectivity that Shannon Airport provides to North America, the United Kingdom and Europe is critical to economic activity and growth in the Midwest and west regions; it is a key enabler of balanced regional development. That’s why we will continue to call on the Government to undertake a review of national aviation policy, and to permanently include Shannon Airport in the Regional Airports Programme.
“This can be done by raising the threshold to three million passengers, as is permitted under EU legislation. Supporting a regional airport, such as Shannon, would enable it to invest in infrastructure and technology that align with its climate change targets, ensuring that growth in air travel in the regions is sustainable,” he stated.
Helen Downes (CEO of the Shannon Chamber) commented that she was heartened to see aviation leaders such as Conor McCarthy visit Shannon and praised Conor for his candid responses to the interview questions. In turn, McCarthy remarked that he was delighted to be in Shannon and commended the warm and hospitable welcome that he received during his visit to the region.