WCA March 2010

New York lost about a quarter-million residents to other parts of the country. But, in 2008, California’s migration loss shrank to 144,000; New York’s to just 126,000. Says Brookings: “A similar retention of potential migrants occurred in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut as many [retirees and others] attempt to hang on until new opportunities arise.” The big winner, apparently not by default, is Texas. On ❖ top of steady growth earlier in the decade, in the year through mid-2009 it added more people from home and abroad than any other state. The 231,539 new Texans totalled more arrivals than in Florida, Arizona, California, Nevada and Colorado combined. Mr Frey attributed the allure of Texas to the comparatively diversified economy there, and to its more conservative lending practices during the real estate boom. In light of the troubles of the “Big Three” Detroit auto makers (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) and the high unemployment rate in Michigan, the Brookings Institution saw “no surprise” in that state’s population loss. But, it said, “That Florida showed a net loss of migrants is astounding.”

Aviation

True to its word, Boeing sent its Dreamliner aloft before the New Year. But can the company fulfil its other promises for the historic aircraft? On 15 th December, more than two years behind schedule, the 787 “Dreamliner” passenger jet from Boeing Co took to the air for its maiden test flight. As reported by business reporter WJ Hennigan of the Los Angeles Times, thousands of Boeing workers and journalists were on hand at Paine Field just north of Seattle, Washington – where Chicago-based Boeing has its design and development facilities and commercial aircraft factories – to witness the takeoff of the 250-seat jetliner. The first commercial plane to be built mostly of composites rather than conventional aluminium and steel, the Dreamliner promises to burn less fuel than any passenger jet now in service. The inaugural flight took three hours. In a rare move, Boeing webcast the entire flight in real time, including a news conference afterwards with the pilots. In the past, Mr Hennigan observed, a first test flight was typically a private affair in case something was to go wrong. Nothing did.

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Wire & Cable ASIA – March/April 2010