Air NZ - Oracle ok not ETNZ

[rigger 47]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industr ... ped-Oracle

 

Team NZ, sponsored by rival airline Emirates, wanted to pay to use Air New Zealand's manufacturing division's autoclave technology to produce components for their AC72 catamaran.

 

The airline had the only autoclave machinery in the country capable of producing the specific designs required by the Kiwi sailors.

 

But Air New Zealand senior management refused the request - partly on the basis it would be helping Emirates, which was sponsoring the challengers.

 

After the rebuff, Team NZ's Auckland-based boatbuilders Cookson Boats found a way to change its autoclave technology to make curved dagger boards for the team.

 

The machinery pressure cooks and bonds carbon fibre to create components such as boat rudders, dagger boards and main beams.

 

The machinery was used virtually every second day for the best part of a year while the huge catamaran was being built for Team NZ.

 

Air New Zealand confirmed last night that it had provided the service for Larry Ellison's Oracle boatbuilders.

 

A spokeswoman for the airline said when Team NZ asked to use the autoclave, Air New Zealand asked for limited sponsorship rights in return.

 

"But Team New Zealand was not keen on this, due to a perceived conflict with its lead airline sponsor [Emirates]."

 

Air New Zealand said it turned down an Oracle sponsorship proposal around June last year and Oracle "then requested use of the autoclave in a straight commercial deal at normal rates".