Civil Aviation Authority highlights importance of aerospace industry in Wales

At a glance

• The UK Civil Aviation Authority Board has visited Wales as part of the regulator's outreach programme.
• Cutting-edge technology, aircraft maintenance advancements, and pioneering aircraft recycling initiatives were seen by the Board.
• Across the two days, the Board visited GE Aerospace, British Airways Maintenance, Wales Air Ambulance, and ecube in order to remain up to date with developing technologies and consumer needs in the sector.

Cutting-edge technology, aircraft maintenance advancements, and pioneering aircraft recycling initiatives were seen by the UK Civil Aviation Authority as part of its engagement in Wales this week.

The visit by the regulator’s Chair Sir Stephen Hillier, Chief Executive Rob Bishton, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority Board highlights the pivotal role Wales plays in shaping the future of air transport safety and sustainable operations.

GE Aerospace, British Airways Maintenance, Wales Air Ambulance, and ecube were all visited as part of the two-day engagement.

The visit coincided with a Civil Aviation Authority Board meeting held in Cardiff on Wednesday, and forms part of the regulator’s commitment to strengthening ties with its stakeholders across the UK’s aviation and aerospace industry.

Sir Stephen Hillier, Chair of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:

“The UK’s aerospace industry is always evolving, and the industry in Wales plays an integral role in this evolution. As the regulator, it is vital that we keep pace with the rapidly changing technologies and needs of consumers in order to support our mission of protecting people and enabling aerospace.

“Our outreach work in Wales and across the UK is more important than ever, and we continue to engage with all stakeholders across the country to make aviation safer, greener, and better for passengers and the public, both home and abroad.”

Sir Stephen, Rob Bishton, and Board members toured the engine test facility at the GE Aerospace site, which has been maintaining and overhauling Boeing and Airbus aircraft engines for more than 80 years.  

The Civil Aviation Authority delegation also saw how the British Airways outfitter British Airways Maintenance engineering team are overhauling and upgrading their airline’s 777 and 787 aircraft.

The Board also saw the largest air ambulance operation in the UK, Wales Air Ambulance, and ecube, a global aircraft storage, disassembly, and recycling and upcycling company visited as part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s commitment to a greener future in aviation.

Notes to editors

• The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation and aerospace regulator. We work to protect people and enable aerospace in the UK.
• GE Aerospace in Wales specialises in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of a range of commercial jet engines, components, and accessories.
• British Airways Maintenance is a major aircraft maintenance facility part of British Airways Engineering, carrying out heavy maintenance on all British Airways Boeing long haul aircraft.
• Wales Air Ambulance provides air ambulance services to the whole of Wales, attending around 2,500 missions yearly.
• ecube is a global leader in aircraft storage, disassembly, and transition services, as well as a marketplace where asset owners and parts suppliers can maximise the value of each aircraft via re-using and recycling.