UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has revealed plans to increase production rates and repatriate aircraft production to its historic home in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight.
The move is a major change for the British SME which has been manufacturing its aircraft in Eastern Europe since the late 1960s.
Britten-Norman will invest in new jigs and tooling to create 2 additional production lines as well as modernising production and decarbonising the site with new sustainable energy initiatives.
The investment is in preparation for intensified interest in the Islander following the planned launch of an OEM, zero-emissions Islander aircraft in 2026 as well as wider interest that has resulted from the introduction of finance and leasing options for the resurgent sub-regional aircraft market.
In the coming months, the Company will be embarking on a recruitment campaign, further boosting job creation in the UK’s Solent Local Enterprise Partnership area. The focus will include aircraft fitters and technicians, production engineering and supply chain roles. The expansion will also create new traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities on the Isle of Wight and in South Hampshire.
In addition to the ramp up in production, the company will be investing in its supply chain and spare parts stock holdings to support its existing operators.
Chief Executive, William Hynett OBE, has said:
“The project is a great success story for the British aircraft manufacturing industry. I am very proud to be involved in this next chapter at Britten-Norman”
Britten-Norman will retain its 34,000sq ft. stronghold at Solent Airport Daedalus, home of the final assembly line for the Islander.
The site also provides OEM aircraft refurbishment, EASA Part 145 MRO services, international field servicing, and specialist avionics and mission systems integration.
Island Echo explored the heritage of the Islander in an article as part of our ‘Made On The Isle of Wight’ heritage series back in February.
the skies will be grey with them! all good for the island.
The miserable Preston’s will likely ruin any venture.
Great news for the Island. And nice to see a major Island investment news story without Seldom Seen seeking credit.
The Islander’s home may be Bembridge but i think it’s birth place was King Gates farm owned by Mr Norman at Niton
They still won’t be able to fly aircraft out of Bembridge unless the landowner has forgiven them for the stunt the Hynetts pulled years ago. B-N do not own the airstrip and were banned from using it, apparently because of lease problems; it is all documented in local papers history.
This is really good news, there has probably been a big gap in aircraft engineering apprenticeships but lets hope there are enough men left with the right skills to train up a new generation
Hopefully it’s not the same experienced Fitters as the past,but one’s with a better understanding of production and customer satisfaction.
Hardly a big investment at Bembridge. According to the report, most will go to Lea on Solent . And if history is anything to go by, manufacture of the basic airframe will be done by Romanion workers flown in occasionally when an airframe is required.
That wouldn’t surprise me.
It’s good that some work will come back to Bembridge. But if the main work remains at Solent Airport then this story us rather over sold!
We don’t want all that noise and pollution here anyway.
Keep it on the mainland.