Last totally British designed and built aircraft

[Capt Ecureuil]

Can anyone think of a totally British designed and built certified aircraft after 1994?

Could the FLS Sprint (Trago Mills SAH1) made in Bournemouth in 1994 be the last?

BN Islanders I believe are semi Romanian so I don’t think count.

[Pypard]

I seem to recall that there's a high-wing aircraft built in East Anglia?

Or, given that they are still being built, the Spitfire maybe?

[Less Hair]

How about the Optica?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgley_Optica

[Asturias56]

The islander was originally built in the UK from 1965 - then some were built in Romania starting in '69

I think manufacture returned to the UK after 2010

[treadigraph]

Doesn't the Hawk count?

[Asturias56]

I think he said "after 1994"

[treadigraph]

He did... but mentioned Islanders...

[chevvron]

How about the Optica?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgley_Optica
First flew 1979

[Less Hair]

But it is intended to be restarted - if they find investors.

[Self loading bear]

UK engine as well??

[DB777]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Go_Aeroplanes_e-Go

[mikeoneflying]

I was lucky enough to see an Optica at a airshow-- if I remember rightly the manufacturer had great hopes in the plane for police work in the UK and overseas.

This was dashed after the crash of the Police aircraft being evaluated.

At the time their was all sorts of wild speculation in the press for the reason for the crash -- some even blaming the passenger..

The aircraft was also touted for survey work and traffic management.

[chevvron]

I was lucky enough to see an Optica at a airshow-- if I remember rightly the manufacturer had great hopes in the plane for police work in the UK and overseas.

This was dashed after the crash of the Police aircraft being evaluated.

At the time their was all sorts of wild speculation in the press for the reason for the crash -- some even blaming the passenger..

The aircraft was also touted for survey work and traffic management.
I flew the prototype at Farnborough and the pilot, Angus McVitie, handed over to me at about 500ft on climbout . With the engine back at idle and full flap, it showed about 42 kt ias, it was just like a glider with a superb view and when I turned back to Farnborough, I noticed Angus seemed a bit 'wary' when I pushed the nose down and opened the throttle before retracting the flaps. The one which crashed apparently 'lost control' during a similar manouevre.
I uneventfully flew it back to Farnborough and found it was easy to land.

[sealo0]

I was lucky enough to see an Optica at a airshow-- if I remember rightly the manufacturer had great hopes in the plane for police work in the UK and overseas.

This was dashed after the crash of the Police aircraft being evaluated.

At the time their was all sorts of wild speculation in the press for the reason for the crash -- some even blaming the passenger..

The aircraft was also touted for survey work and traffic management.


Sorry to say this killed one of my best mates he was the pilot, still see his widow from time to time

Mike

[uxb99]

What about theHybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Air_Vehicles_Airlander_10)

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

I seem to recall that there's a high-wing aircraft built in East Anglia?

Or, given that they are still being built, the Spitfire maybe?



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/858x614/screenshot_2023_02_13_at_22_45_18_britain_s_sherwood_electri c_kub_makes_first_flight_cb8c42301a3b5317d42da486a9bd596181f 9c422.png
Not sure if this qualifies but it has a high wing and is manufactured in Norfolk. I don't know if the original design pre-dates 1994. This is the electric Kub which first flew in 2022 and is under development.

[dangermouse]

Wildcat is uk designed, with no foreign input to the best of my knowledge

[Capt Ecureuil]

Thanks all for the replies, pretty certain that all the Opticas were built well before 1994.
I was seeking any certified types as I’m sure there are many LAA permit aircraft that have been built since that time.

[JagRigger]

https://www.swiftaircraft.com/the-swift.html being built at Coltishall

[dixi188]

What about the electrical/radio/navigation equipment. I doubt there is much UK made stuff around now.
The last Vickers Viscounts built for China 1963/4, had all Brit stuff due to USA sanctions.
All the Islanders I worked on had Narco, King or Bendix radios.

[Less Hair]

IIRC the FBW core unit at both A and B -and the Segway- is still of Marconi fame.

[Capt Ecureuil]

What about the electrical/radio/navigation equipment. I doubt there is much UK made stuff around now.
The last Vickers Viscounts built for China 1963/4, had all Brit stuff due to USA sanctions.
All the Islanders I worked on had Narco, King or Bendix radios.


I meant the airframe, who knows where the rubber for the tyres comes from if one wants to go ……

[chevvron]

Wildcat is uk designed, with no foreign input to the best of my knowledge
But wasn't the Lynx a joint Anglo French project?

[DaveReidUK]

But wasn't the Lynx a joint Anglo French project?

Yes, along with the Puma and Gazelle, albeit the UK had leadership on the Lynx and the French on the other two.

[Pypard]

https://www.swiftaircraft.com/the-swift.html being built at Coltishall

Looks promising: certainly a contender, which most of the other suggestions aren't. Incidentally, I recall that GKN are/were making a helicopter at Filton but I don't know if it's designed for production.

[dangermouse]

There may be some legacy items that had French design leadership on wildcat but there is no French input now, it depend on what passes for totally British designed, does that include EVERY component or just the airframe? Does the engine have to be british, or the radios etc....?​​​

[treadigraph]

Still a way from being completed and flown but the Hill HX50 may become a contender...

Regarding the Wildcat, are they brand new airframes or seriously rebuilt Lynx airframes?

[dangermouse]

Wildcat airframe is completely new and different to Lynx.

[treadigraph]

Thanks Dangermouse.

[DaveReidUK]

That's good to know.

The fact that the Wildcat looks like a Lynx on steroids is clearly pure coincidence. And it's early "Future Lynx" designation was simply to confuse the enemy.

[Pypard]

I was lucky enough to see an Optica at a airshow.

You didn't need to be lucky to see one at an air show: I recall seeing the 1st prototype (unfinished at that point) at the Cranfield PFA Rally circa 1978, and the last time I saw one at an airshow was (I think) Farnborough circa 2018. They had in the meantime been marketed at various trade shows initially as by Edgeley, then Optica (I think), plus maybe others in between. Though a good number were lost in the Old Sarum fire, I think a number still exist, though how many are airworthy I don't know.

[N707ZS]

There were a number at North Weald in the film company hangar.

[chevvron]

You didn't need to be lucky to see one at an air show: I recall seeing the 1st prototype (unfinished at that point) at the Cranfield PFA Rally circa 1978, and the last time I saw one at an airshow was (I think) Farnborough circa 2018. They had in the meantime been marketed at various trade shows initially as by Edgeley, then Optica (I think), plus maybe others in between. Though a good number were lost in the Old Sarum fire, I think a number still exist, though how many are airworthy I don't know.
My Optica flight was 3 Sep 1980.
During a later airshow display, Neville Duke flew an Opfica and embarassingly was instructed to land by the Flying Control Committee as he had drifted south of the runway; strictly verboten.