Many years have passed since Manxman steamed into Belfast, Danny, as long ago as the day Manx Airways took their Viscount across at 2000ft to avoid airways charges and frightened the life out of me when they passed underneath! There is a fast ferry service in summer, but Manx too is long gone. Today the three-legged folk visit us via a Czech airline operating a 19-seat Czech-built and registered LET-401.
Bravely or foolishly, I crossed the Irish Sea scores of times behind one engine though I did have immersion suit, SARBE, dinghy etc. My TM and later the Arrow were expensive enough at 7/8 galls per hour, the Aztec was very nice but guzzled 25gph as well as having two engines and two props to overhaul. Lucky Danny who could hurtle back to base in his Spitfire at 60gph
I would have liked to ask Cliff and Reg whether they found icing a problem but as always it's too late; and it was hardly likely to bother a VV in India I suppose!