OUTLOOK

Eye-opener: Wheeler-dealing is always impressive, but the biggest of big wheel dealing was more of an eye-opener than anyone bargained for. This was evident from an excellent presentation and reception laid on at the RAC Club recently by Allott and Lomax, Consulting Engineers for the British Airways London Eye project.

For those of you unfamiliar with this, it's the 135-metre high giant wheel currently lying on it side across two thirds of the Thames opposite County Hall.

Dr Allan Mann and Dr John Roberts gave the presentation. I had the great pleasure of working with the good doctor on the Battersea Power Station leisure project, which unfortunately failed to get underway in the 1980s.

Innovation: Technically, the wheel is gaspworthy, it will be the fourth highest structure in London, behind No 1 Canada Square, Tower 42 and the Telecom Tower. It is by far the biggest Ferris wheel ever built in the world. The presentation overran but was fascinating and there was no shortage of people asking questions.

But apart from the myriad of technical ground breaking innovations produced by a very British company, it was also the use of a combination of suppliers and constructors stretching all over Europe. The methods of procurement and construction needed good teamwork and proper supply chain management, and it seems that has been established on the project. It has not been without problems, but all of them will be overcome in time.

Inspiration: It was good to listen to them talking, in their northern matter-of-fact tones, the same sort of comfort you get when you board a plane and hear the professional modulation of a British airline captain, coolly and confidently outlining his plans for your flight.

Such people make it sound easy, like when you see Pete Sampras demolish Andre Agassi you feel as though you can do it yourself. Talented people provide inspiration for anybody to be the top of their field. I hope they find the time to visit as many schools as possible, that's all it will take to bring people into our industry. From that point of view the presentation was truly inspirational, better than any video presentation by an absent Deputy Prime Minister, telling us all to buck our ideas up.

Volunteers: The rush for completion of projects for the millennium celebrations meant that there has been a considerable amount of bleating about the cost of such things, the Dome for one. Nobody will say what the wheel will cost, but what does it matter? After all, the funding is not coming from the public purse and it will be operated by the Tussaud Group, who for sure, know how to make money out of leisure, the fourth largest industry in our economy.

Before the expected seven million people a year ride it, the whole thing will be fully tested and volunteers will be co-opted to be part of the process after they remove the sand bags from the gondolas which will provide a 26-mile view from the top of the wheel.

Please may I be the first in the queue?