THE man who has been at the helm of the Island's aircraft registry will join Appleby Aviation next week.

Brian Johnson is due to step down from his role as director of civil aviation for the Isle of Man Government at the end of this week.

He will become director of operations for Appleby Aviation from Tuesday (August 30).

Mr Johnson said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as director of civil aviation in the Island.

"Thanks to the efforts of my colleagues the Isle of Man is now seen as the jurisdiction of choice for the private operation of aircraft.

"I leave the post proud of the achievement which has been a product of both team work and a commitment to customer service delivered by dedicated officers.

"I am confident that this is the embedded culture of the Isle of Man Aircraft Register.

"Joining Appleby Aviation represents an exciting opportunity for me to continue to promote the Isle of Man around the world and to assist in the provision of technical services to aircraft owners and operators."

Managing partner of Appleby (Isle of Man) Sean Dowling said: "We are delighted that Brian will be joining us in Appleby Aviation.

"Brian has been a catalyst in the establishment and growth of the Isle of Man Aircraft Register and we are honoured that he is willing to bring to us his considerable expertise and experience in civil aviation in a number of jurisdictions.

"With Brian's assistance, Appleby Aviation will be well placed to deliver both legal and technical advice to private and commercial operators of civil aircraft around the world, most notably in Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Mauritius and the Isle of Man.

"Appleby is committed to developing the Isle of Man as a centre of excellence in the aviation industry and will continue to support the Isle of Man civil aviation administration which is pivotal to this."