The island’s civil aviation head has vowed to raise the profile of the air registry amid a ’challenging climate’ in the industry.

Simon Williams told the ninth Isle of Man Aviation conference that he had recently returned from overseas gatherings where there was talk of sanctions, trade wars and tariffs.

And some jet owners with Manx ’M’ registrations had been ’tightening their belts’ and subsequently had sold their expensive aircraft.

He said: ’All of this means we are in a ’challenging climate.’

But he told the conference at the Villa Marina these challenges meant he and his team were determined to redouble their efforts with the registry, which is the sixth largest in the world.

Speaking to Business News moments after his introductory speech to the event, he said that ’just as cars come and go, then aircraft come and go as part of the normal service.’

Mr Williams said it highlighted what the internatinal air industry was going through at the moment.

He said: ’They are challenges, it is well documented that there are trade wars, there are tariffs, political uncertainty and there is Brexit.

’But it is not particular to us. Any industry has to cope with these fluctuations in global political and financial changes and so where I draw confidence, where I am absolutely robustly optimistic, is that this is a great industry.

’The Isle of Man aircraft registry is still held in huge regard and the feedback I constantly get back is positive.

’The people in that room here in the Villa Marina for this conference, we have some really distinguished delegates here.

’They are smart, experienced and dedicated people.

’They have seen all this before.

’Any industry has its fluctuations.

’I’m not overly concerned.’

He confirmed a ’handful’ of jet owners had sold their Manx registered aircraft because they were proving quite expensive to run.

’They have not left for any other reason, they have sold them. These aircraft were not cheap to run and so there had been some tightening of belts with some people.’

But Mr Williams, the island’s director of civil aviation, added: ’But at the same time that has been offset by the fact that we have registered 22 aircraft in only a matter of a few months.

’To understand the nature of our business, aircraft come and aircaft go.

’If it was a problem then we would not have had those 22 aircraft come to us very recently.

’I really see it as business as usual.’

He said that the registry, which comes under the umbrella of the government’s Department for Enterprise, was ’heading towards 1,100 aircraft having been registered since the registry first started more than a decade ago, and the current register is standing at more than 400’.

He said: ’Incrementally it just keeps building so we are very positive.

’We are just about to register a Gulfstream G650 from China so that will be coming on the books very shortly.

’We’ve aircraft in Asia, China, Australia, America and all across Europe, Africa, it is truly international.’

Mr Williams admits to a ’boyish enthusiasm’ for the air industry.

As a pilot himself, he flew a wide variety of aircraft including Royal Air Force search and rescue Sea Kings, special operations Pumas and civil Boeing 757s and Boeing 767s, most recently for British Airways.

He told Business News: ’I’m 53 now and I’ve been in the aviation industry for a long time but actually with any technological industry you see spikes in growth and how the technology advances.’

And he was seeing another spike building in aviation with electric and hybrid aircraft coming along.

’People are talking about urban mobilities.’ He referred to the old American Jetsons cartoons where a family whizzed around cities in futuristic vehicles.

He said: ’It’s fabulous because the technology is so advanced it is extraordinary.’

Asked if the Isle of Man will play a full part in this he said: ’Yes. we are already having conversations with our management team to future proof ourselves for that.

’I think we will be in a good place.’

Business News suggested it sounded like a sci-fi vision of the future and he replied: ’It is. Many years ago there were people in the press saying that man would never fly.

’And then seven days later the Wright brothers got airborne.

’I know it’s coming it’s just a matter of when, and it’s fascinating and exciting.’