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Design Department

The beating heart of a thriving CAA, A8-21 accredited organisation.

History Re-Invented

Whether compiling simple maintenance instructions or reverse engineering significant propulsion system hardware, the Design department is at the centre of every aspect of the support provided to customers, trying to keep their ageing fleet of warbirds airborne. Meticulous attention to detail is the name of the game and we have a proud history of providing a world leading service in this field. Backed up by a significant trove of privately acquired archive documentation, we strive to provide historically accurate solutions to original design specifications and data.

There is no room for complacency, every task is completed with the same vigour and attention to detail. The vindication for this approach is captured every time one of our many supported customers takes to the skies. We can rightly take pride in our achievements, but there’s always room for more.

With the continual demands placed on an ageing fleet of aircraft, comes the inevitable shift from maintaining original hardware to manufacture of new replacement parts. Our Design team are at the forefront of this activity. Significant challenges such as replacement cylinder barrels for Bristol radial engines and cylinder heads for Rolls-Royce V12’s are just two of the many hundreds of parts that Retro have designed and manufactured over the years. With the parts count for a Rolls-Royce V12 numbering over 10,000, the new replacement parts list is growing at an ever increasing pace.

Original materials are more often than not, no longer available and modern replacements have to be sought and underwritten. A vast range of consumables such as seals and gaskets have to be faithfully recreated. Component wear and environmental damage have to be continually assessed, when these engines were never envisaged to still be flying after 80 years or more. And all the work we do is conducted under our Design Assurance System in accordance with British Civil Airworthiness Requirements A8-21 in order to meet the required regulatory requirements.

Could this be for you?

Think that a Design career here at Retro might be for you? Why not contact us and register your interest. We’re always on the look-out for Designers with flair and an untiring enthusiasm for engineering. Having a passion for historical engineering is most definitely a key attribute here. An Engineering Designer at Retro, rarely sits still and there are constant hands-on opportunities to delve into the past and define solutions to maintain the numerous propulsion systems we specialise on into the future. Retro also restore and maintain a number of private projects from notable aircraft manufacturers of the past. All presenting their own unique challenges and opportunities for personal development.

If you feel that a career here at Retro is something that you’d find fulfilling then please contact us here.

Did you know we buy spare parts, old drawings and manuals?

Here at Retro, we’re always on the lookout for aviation hardware of historical interest. Particularly, anything relating to the many powerplants we currently support. We’re also constantly adding to our document library with original equipment manufacturer’s drawings, manuals and specifications. We’re keen to hear from anyone who may have historical documentation that helps us understand the original manufacturer’s design intent. As well as period publications from the pre second world war aviation giants.

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