 Shaw and Cockerell approached Saunders-Roe, who agreed to study the concept and produce a report on it if they were issued with a contract.This arrangement would be the foundation of a long-lasting partnership between Cockerell and Saunders-Roe to develop and sell this new form of transport.In August 1957, an initial contract to perform theoretical and experimental analysis of the concept was awarded to Saunders-Roe.