AVIATION enthusiasts were able to enjoy a special open day at a Pembrokeshire airport recently.

Metal Seagulls hosted an open hangar day at Haverfordwest Airport which allowed visitors to tour the facilities, see a range of aviation items and much more, despite the poor weather.

Around a dozen flew into the airport – which is owned and operated by Pembrokeshire County Council, and more than 100 people attended the event and toured the facility.

Patricia Mawuli Porter OBE – Metal Seagulls’ operations manager – and her team were on hand to explain how Metal Seagulls provides support to the largest sector of powered light aviation in the UK, known as non-part-21 which covers the majority of two-seat fixed wing powered aircraft.

Patricia and her team – which includes a number of young people as part of a collaboration with local education partners – showed how light aircraft are built, maintained and repaired, showed visitors the ULPower range of aircraft engines and DUC propellers and the Zenair aircraft kits.

Visitors also had a chance to look in the cockpit of the powerplant and energy source agnostic Fafali aircraft which is hoped will go on a test flight out of Haverfordwest in 2024.

Mrs Porter said: “We are hoping to progress our provisions in Pembrokeshire to a full-blown production facility with a 50 aircraft per year capacity as growth in the next-gen aviation sector around the world opens new opportunities for aviation infrastructures.

“We were pleased to welcome so many people to the airport – considered by many as one of the friendliest and welcoming airports in the country – to find out more about our work here.”

Phil Davies, the airport manager, said: “Haverfordwest Airport was delighted to welcome new customers who visited the Metal Seagull open hanger event across the two days. Pembrokeshire County Council is pleased to be working closely with Metal Seagulls to help promote aviation.

“It is very encouraging to see Metal Seagulls offering apprenticeships in light aviation in Pembrokeshire, there are exciting times ahead with the possibility of larger production within the county.”