It’s not been an easy few years for the aviation industry. First the pandemic grounded planes, then there were sweeping cuts to the sector’s global workforce, and now surging inflation and supply chain issues caused by the war in Ukraine are posing new challenges.
Despite difficulties facing the industry, there is still plenty going on - particularly in the West of England. Indeed, the region is now the UK’s biggest aerospace cluster, with hundreds of companies - from global giants such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce to innovative start-ups that are pushing the boundaries of technology - choosing the West Country as home.
While last year saw the aviation industry navigating its route to recovery as travel restrictions lifted and production began to ramp up again, 2023 is set to be “far more interesting”, according to South West aerospace expert Dr Steve Wright.
