BAE Systems Proud past...bright future BAE Systems Prestwick Over 80 years of aviation excellence

AE Systems at Prestwick, Scotland marked upgrades to all aircraft types because of its the 80th anniversary of the founding of European-wide approvals. Bits predecessor company, In 1935 enthusiasm for the Everest venture (SAL) on the 9th August 2015. was strong in Scotland and both men were Scottish Aviation was formally incorporated on determined to create a new company ‘to 9th August 1935 having been founded by Group establish the aviation industry in all its branches Captain David Fowler McIntyre and Douglas in Scotland’. Douglas-Hamilton, Marquis of Clydesdale. They The company vision was to undertake had achieved international fame two years earlier training, aircraft overhaul, design, manufacture when they became the first men to fly over and production, establish and operate an airport Mount Everest in specially converted biplanes. and run an airline. But the primary goal was to Their breakthrough into sustained high altitude train much needed pilots for the RAF as war flying in an open cockpit remains one of the clouds gathered over Europe. pioneering feats of aviation. The company bought 157 acres of land at Eighty years later their legacy lives on with Prestwick, with a further 190 acres for possible BAE Systems Regional Aircraft responsible for future expansion. Airfield facilities were rapidly continued airworthiness, customer support, constructed, a first contract was won from the and equip its first factory for repair and design and engineering for around 500 BAE Air Ministry, and flying training commenced in modifications on other aircraft. First orders were Systems-built commercial aircraft in service with February 1936. secured in 1939 and modification and sub- more than 150 customers across 70 countries. By the time flying training had transferred contract work on a range of , , As well as many passenger and freight airline to the Empire Training Scheme in Canada and Hawker and followed. customers Regional Aircraft has engineering South Africa in 1941, SAL had created a fleet More space was needed and the decision was responsibility for the BAe 146 Atmospheric of over 120 aircraft and had passed out 1334 taken to purchase the Palace of Engineering Research Aircraft and is helping operators in pilots, 1994 air observers and some 1200 from the 1938 Empire Exhibition at Bellahouston North America to convert BAe 146/ RJ wireless operators. SAL had trained five times as Park in Glasgow and re-install it at Prestwick. into waterbombers to fight wildfires. many personnel as any other UK company. This iconic building survives today and was one It is also capable of designing and producing Profits from training enabled SAL to construct of the main buildings for SAL and then British /BAE Systems. It is now the home of Spirit AeroSystems which is a major supplier of wing components and other structural assemblies to both and . During the war years thousands of American- built aircraft were handled at the newly expanded Prestwick Airport and SAL became the prime location for servicing and modifying them to British operational standards. This was in addition to thousands of British-built aircraft and engines that were repaired and overhauled. Because of SAL’s earlier wireless operator training, radio communications facilities were in place at Prestwick, so transatlantic air traffic control was moved from Gloucester - and still flourishes today as the Scottish and Oceanic Area Control Centre. C-130 Hercules fuselage panels and pylons. A Regional Aircraft, responsible for Jetstreams, Post-war SAL set up Scottish Airlines which 25-year association with the Royal Canadian the Hatfield and Woodford-built 80-112 seat for fourteen years flew services on behalf of Air Force was established for the overhaul and BAe 146/Avro RJ regional jetliner and 64-seat many international airlines and created national maintenance of its European-based fighter/ Advanced Turboprop (ATP) and earlier HS748 airlines in Greece and Luxembourg. trainer aircraft. turboprops. First steps into aircraft design and construction From the 1970s to the mid-1990s SAL (which With the end of manufacturing, in 2002 came in 1947 with the Prestwick Pioneer and became part of in 1977) built Regional Aircraft was re-launched as a service a few years later with the larger Twin Pioneer. aircraft such as the Bulldog trainer, the Jetstream and support business based at Prestwick, a task Both aircraft had remarkable short take-off and multi-engine trainers for the RAF and observer it continues to this day. landing performance and 146 were built. trainers for the and then the Apart from the legacy of the airport and ATC During the 60s and 70s SAL undertook improved Jetstream 31/32 18-seat - centre, SAL and its successors designed and built aircraft aerostructures, maintenance, upgrades which found world-wide acceptance. This was just under 1000 aircraft, constructed thousands and modifications to both civil and military followed by the bigger 29-seat Jetstream 41. of aerostructures parts and maintained countless aircraft. A long-term contract with Lockheed When BAE Systems was formed in 1999 the aircraft leaving a lasting imprint and an aerospace meant the production of 773 aircraft sets of Prestwick unit became part of BAE Systems community at Prestwick that flourishes today. 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 9th August - Scottish College of Aviation Ltd. founded Company Coat of Arms commissioned 1st flight of Twin Pioneer Queen’s Award British Aerospace and Marconi 80 years of Prestwick at Prestwick by Lord Douglas-Hamilton (right) and (89 built) for Export Electronic Systems merge to aviation excellence David McIntyre, who together, in April 1933, became End of hostilities - 1,200 Spitfires Achievement become BAE Systems celebrated 1935 - 2015 the first aviators to fly over Mount Everest refurbished plus many other military 1985 and 1986 • Future Small “for the specific purpose of aircraft types Payload Launcher introducing the aviation industry New and ongoing (FSPL) proposal in its various forms to Scotland” Engineering contact engineering projects 1st flight of prototype for Mitsubishi include: SAL becomes the Jetstream 31/32 (386 built) 1st flight of Atmospheric 1st flight of Production Regional Jet signed Scottish division of 1st flight of Research Aircraft (ARA) Bulldog trainer (320 built) British Aerospace 1st flight of Jetstream 41 Hong ATPF Large 1st flight of Jetstream 41 Kong Government Flying Service Door Freighter The College was set up in response to an Air (104 built) Search and Rescue aircraft MOD contract awarded • Pilatus PC-12 Ministry requirement to increase the strength for two BAe 146-200QC and PC-24 1st flight of of the aircraft under an Urgent prototype 50 years of Operational Requirement Pioneer Turboprop (UOR) (59 built) manufacture • Turkish new BAE Systems regional airliner come to a Aerostructures EASA extends Part Specialist design and Modification and Prestwick requisitioned from BAE Systems close with business 21 G & J allowing engineering services assembly contracts SAL to the Air Ministry for Regional Aircraft SALchek - an approved nearly 1,000 acquired by Regional Aircraft provided to enable for American war purposes relaunches as a overhaul, repair and aircraft built Spirit to work on any BAe146/Avro RJ service business • Typhoon maintenance service at Prestwick AeroSystems aircraft type Airtanker conversions undertaken • Tornado formed • Hawk 1936 1940 1953 1960 1963 1973 1988 1994 1996 1997 2011 2016 2017 1939 1941 1947 1962 1971 1977 1980 1991 1998 1999 2002 2003 2006 2010 2012 2013 September - Aerodrome Nimrod MRA4 construction contract begins announced, Company name Prestwick changed to Scottish undertakes Aviation Limited (SAL) engineering projects First Prestwick associated with Airshow held the programme ‘Palace of Engineering’ relocated from Modification and Maintenance work Silver Jubilee of SAL Lockheed C130 Hercules centre 1st flight of Jetstream T Mk 1 BAe Flying College established 1st flight of Jetstream 61 Inaugural Prestwick Cycle Avro RJ Long Term Maintenance Programme introduced Indian operator Vistara becomes launch Continued support via a Post Design Services (PDS) the 1938 Glasgow Empire Exhibition, undertaken on military aircraft including; section fuselage panels contract (26 built for the RAF and Royal at Prestwick Challenge takes place (over customer for BAE Systems’ Intellicabin® contract for the RAF’s Queen’s Flight BAe 146 CCMk2 becomes No 3 factory Avengers, Dakotas, Sabre and Starfighter awarded (773 sets produced until Navy) £335,000 raised for charity in-flight entertainment system for its and C Mk3 aircraft jet-fighters. Contracts continue until 1978 1982) over 20 years) fleet of A320 aircraft BAE Systems plc Prestwick International Airport Ayrshire, KA9 2RW www.regional-services.com

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AVRO AIRCRAFT ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH FOLLAND GLOSTER H.S.A. Over 100 AIRSPEED HAWKER years of SIDDELEY AIRCRAFT British BLACKBURN BRITISH AEROSPACE (BAe) GENERAL AIRCRAFT aviation BAE SYSTEMS VICKERS VICKERS - ARMSTRONG M.E.S. BRITISH history AIRCRAFT MARCONI CORPORATION ELECTRONIC BRIT. & COL. AEROPLANE SYSTEMS B.A.C. HUNTING SCOTTISH AVIATION

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Copyright © 2017 BAE SYSTEMS. All rights reserved. Permission to reproduce any part of this document should be sought from BAE Cover picture: Systems. Permission will usually be given providing the source is acknowledged Twin Pioneer prototype G-ANTP and the copyright notice and this notice are reproduced. flying over the relocated ‘Palace of Engineering’ at SAL Prestwick BAE SYSTEMS is a registered trade mark of BAE Systems plc. circa late 1950’s. April 2017 pwk_0817