Ahead of Aurigny’s last scheduled Dornier flight taking place, an Alderney school boy was invited to the airline’s hangar in Guernsey after impressing staff with his artistic talents.
Seven-year-old Stefan had shared his aircraft drawings with Aurigny, with the airline arranging for him to meet professional Guernsey artist and teacher Rob Sweeney.
The Artist worked with Stefan to help refine his skills and explore new techniques.
Together, they created a special artwork of Aurigny’s iconic Dornier aircraft before it took its final flight on Thursday.
“When we saw Stefan’s drawings, we were really amazed by his talent and passion for aviation,” said Samuel Talbot, Head of Marketing at Aurigny.
“At Aurigny, we are passionate about supporting young people and their development through aviation, and Stefan’s enthusiasm is a wonderful reminder of how aviation can spark imagination in many different ways. We’re delighted to have been able to give him this experience and to celebrate the Dornier through his artwork.”
The Dornier 228NG played a significant role in Aurigny’s history and in connecting the Channel Islands, said the airline.
The aircraft G-OAUR, alongside its twin, G-ETAC, together performed just over 32,000 take-offs and landings, and flew more than 9500 flight hours for Aurigny since 2015.
The final Dornier flight left Alderney on Thursday afternoon, arriving in Guernsey to mark ‘the end of an era’.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain John Morris and First Officer Harry Bell, who were welcomed by the Aurigny Team and the spectacle of a water cannon salute to mark the occasion.
Captain Morris has flown to and from Alderney for many years, initially on the Britten-Norman Trislander, said Aurigny.
The airline said this demonstrates that while the aircraft may change from time to time, the people who fly them and their commitment to their communities do not.
Aurigny admitted there was “a tinge of emotion” within the team when the Dornier flew its final flight, given that only a handful of the 228NG aircraft were built.
The airline said this had increased pressures on global supply chains and that makes it “ever more important for airlines like Aurigny to operate aircraft types that are more widely supported”.
By contrast, the Twin Otter, that will replace the Dornier welcomes its 1000th aircraft this year.
Operated by Skybus, the Twin Otter has already been in active service for Aurigny since November.
Philip Saunders, Chief Commercial Officer at Aurigny, said the airline is fully confident that the Twin Otter has proven itself more than capable of reliably serving the people of Alderney for many years to come, having already delivered more than 400 flights since entering service.
“After so many years of service, it is right that we honour the final flight of the Dornier 228NG,” he said.
“It is also important for us to take this moment and recognise the teams who have supported the aircraft, both in the air and on the ground – enabling more than 30,000 flights that have connected the Bailiwick since 2015.
“With the Twin Otter, we can now look to the future with confidence in our proud and ongoing role in connecting our communities.”
