Portsmouth Aviation: What We Do

We design and manufacture precision parts and products. We’ve been serving our clients for over 90 years and although our focus and expertise has evolved during that time, one thing has remained the same; our ability to deliver cost-effective engineering and manufacturing solutions to meet individual business needs.

After starting off in the air ferry service sector, we developed rapidly, shifting our focus towards aviation as WW2 approached. We worked with the Allied forces throughout the war, supporting several aircraft as well as assisting with the maintenance, testing and evaluation of weapons systems.

In more recent years we’ve diversified our services into many different areas of engineering, with aviation at our core. Our talented and knowledgeable team of engineers have a huge range of skills and an expanse of expertise, which they draw upon to navigate their way through each challenge to find the right solution every time.

We can offer you a complete, in-house service, or we can step in at any point of the process to assist as needed. Our all-in-one service starts with initial concept and design, all the way through to the production and manufacturing process. We even specialise in packaging too.

Whether you opt for the full service or bring us in along the way, you can rest assured that we’ll take everything in hand, keeping your business interests at heart. Ensuring your expectations are exceeded is our ultimate aim.

How we can help

Precision engineering

Aviation engineering

We’ve become a major player in the field, working hard to develop an impressive reputation within the aerospace and aviation industries. We assist on projects across these sectors, providing solutions that have been well received by both civil and military aerospace organisations. Our commitment to providing a cost-effective and reliable service, high-quality products and impeccable accuracy is why our clients use us again and again and recommend us to others.

CNC milling & turning

We’ve invested more than £5 million over the past five years to ensure that our CNC machining equipment is up to date and enables us to realise designs in the most efficient and accurate manner possible. Process inspection technology allows our CNC machinery to facilitate ‘zero defect’ practices, eliminating costly rework and enabling us to get it right first time. With 20 CNC mills and 14 CNS lathes at our disposal, the possibilities are endless.

Metal treatment and finishing

We have over 60 years’ experience in metal finishing and one of the best-equipped metal treatment facilities on the south coast. We hold all the relevant quality approvals including the prestigious NADCAP Accreditation. We specialise in a range of finishing methods including  anodising and Cadmium plating.

Metal fabrication and welding                

Metal fabrication is one of our key areas of expertise and an important part of many projects. We’ve invested heavily in the latest equipment to facilitate this, as well as extensive training for our employees. We have 25 MIG, TIG and MAG machines to facilitate first-class welding. We aspire to extremely high standards, which results in accurate, high-quality metal manufacturing every time.

Technical services

Project management

Whatever project you present us with, once instructed, we’ll take it from there. One of our skilled Project Managers will manage your project from start to finish to ensure a smooth journey. We specialise in supply chain management and will coordinate all elements of the process prioritising cost, time and scope to get the end results you’re hoping for.

Design engineering

If you need us to be involved at the design stage of your project, our in-house team of design engineers will provide a tailored service to pinpoint the right solution for you. Delivering bespoke products is a key part of what we do and to achieve this, we utilise a range of tools including Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). CAD software allows us to create and optimise a design to meet your precise requirements and specifications. FEA modelling enables the real-world structural performance of products to be predicted and analysed at the design phase, resulting in reduced development costs and the ability to test multiple solutions concurrently.

Non-destructive and destructive testing

We offer extensive testing services to ensure all of our products meet customers’ precise needs and are suitable for use in high-stress environments. Carried out in-house whenever possible and by trusted partners when need arises, we assess and predict material and product performance with the help of CAD, FEA and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software and other analytical methods.

Safety and airworthiness management

Demonstrating that your product presents minimal risks to the operator, user or bystander is essential to its success. We have recognised practitioners of safety engineering and safety management systems on staff who can provide a range of services. Compiling/reviewing safety management plans, safety assessments or case reports, and undertaking hazard, reliability or fault tree analysis are just a few of the services on offer.

Military aircraft support equipment

Our manufacturing methods allow us to produce bespoke aviation engineering products to exacting specifications in short timeframes. This means that we’re able to provide businesses with the components they need quicker, more efficiently and with greater precision than any of our leading competitors. From small production runs for civil firms to large MOD projects, we have the expertise, experience and technological capacity to deliver exactly what you need, when you need it.

Maintenance and repair services

Delivering your finished product upon completion of a project is often just the start of our partnership. We develop extensive knowledge and expertise in the products we build and are happy to provide assistance, in the form of maintenance and repair work, whenever it’s required.

Environmental solutions

CBRN equipment

Protecting personnel from a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threat is vital. We have a vast amount of experience in the manufacture of CBRN protection equipment, from design, development and manufacture, to maintenance and disposal.

Water purification

Our SPE Water Purification System can be used for rapid deployment of emergency relief or as a permanent water purification installation. Once operational, the system is fully automated and virtually maintenance-free with low power requirements and minimal, low-cost consumables.

Packaging solutions

With over 40 years’ experience in the packaging sector, we’ve developed some of the most innovative and progressive packaging solutions in the industry. Our long-standing relationships with the UK defence and aerospace industries has equipped us with the ability to manufacture packaging to the most exacting of standards and we carry this through to each and every client we serve.