Bringing the birds back to Britain
British aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has been building a large number of its aircraft in Eastern Europe since the 1960s. It has now revealed plans to increase production rates and to repatriate aircraft production to its historic home on the Isle of Wight.
With its investment in new jigs and tooling to create two additional production lines and its efforts to modernise production and decarbonise the site, the manufacturer is preparing for intensified interest in the "Islander" following the planned launch of an OEM, zero-emissions Islander aircraft in 2026.
Britten-Norman is also expecting more customer demand from the introduction of finance and leasing options for the resurgent sub regional aircraft market. In addition, the company will be investing in its supply chain and spare parts stock holdings to support its existing operators. (ah)