Prestwick Airport, which is located in Perthshire, Scotland, has been selected as the new site to be the home of British manufacturer Aerialis’s assembly line. According to stakeholders, it is also highly likely that this move to the Scottish location will be the precursor to RAF jets being produced at the region within a few years.
The hub at Prestwick Airport, which is located just a forty-minute drive from Glasgow city centre, will soon house the assembly and testing of modular light aircraft manufactured by the firm. It is hoped that these planes will, in time, replace the RAF’s current fleet of jets.
Excellent Facilities
Prestwick Airport has been selected to be the new home of manufacturing the jets thanks to a long history of successful aircraft manufacturing at the site. It also boasts a fantastic array of MRO resources, according to the airport’s website.
A Boost for the Local Area
But it’s not just the military who will benefit from this decision: the manufacturing of the jets at the Prestwick site is also expected to provide a considerable boost to jobs and investment in the local area. There are plans afoot to offer a wide variety of apprenticeships for those looking to begin a career in aerospace engineering and related subjects as well as many jobs in engineering, design and transport – not to mention support services such as administration and catering.
The Future’s Red
It is also anticipated that this move will eventually see the manufacturing of the world famous Red Arrows’ future planes at the Scottish site. These recognisable planes are required to be lightweight in order to fulfil their role doing stunts and air displays. Innovative design features such as a zinc nickel plating offered by specialists such as swmf.co.uk/surface-coatings/zinc-nickel-alloy-plating help in this aim.
Government Backing
The decision to move operations to Prestwick has been welcomed by the government and by the Ministry of Defence, which is looking to modernise the fleet of planes owned by the RAF.
