Dowty Group
Encyclopedia
Dowty Group was a leading British
manufacturer of aircraft equipment
. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
but was acquired by TI Group
in 1992.
in 1935 making aircraft equipment in Cheltenham
under the name Dowty Aviation. In its early years the Company invented the first internally sprung aircraft wheel and went on to make landing gear for Frank Whittle
's jet-propelled Gloster aeroplane. In 1960 the Company acquired Rotol Airscrews
, giving it a propeller
manufacturing capability (Dowty Rotol). In 1961 it acquired Boulton Paul Aircraft
, no longer a large scale manufacturer of aircraft, producing research aircraft, but producing powered control units for aircraft as well as other activities. This was named Dowty Boulton Paul Ltd.
In the 1960s the Company went on to develop fuel control systems for the Harrier jump jet
and power controls for Concorde
.
Dowty Group collaborated with the French
Group Messier
on aircraft landing gear and hydraulics over a long period of time.
In the late 1980s the Company diversified into telecommunications and computer equipment acquiring Datatel
, a software business, in 1987, Case Group plc, a telecommunications business, in 1988 and Dataco, a provider of network services, in 1990.
in 1992.
In 1993 TI Group hived off seven former Dowty Group companies engaged in the manufacture of electronic equipment by way of a management buy-out to form Ultra Electronics
.
In 1994 TI Group transferred the Dowty landing gear business into a joint venture formed with SNECMA
known as Messier-Dowty
: in 1998 that business became wholly owned by Safran
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
manufacturer of aircraft equipment
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index
FTSE 100 Index
The FTSE 100 Index, also called FTSE 100, FTSE, or, informally, the footsie , is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalised UK companies listed on the London Stock Exchange....
but was acquired by TI Group
TI Group
TI Group plc was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as Tube Investments in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tubes Ltd, New Credenda Tube , Simplex and Accles & Pollock. In 1928 Reynolds Tube joined...
in 1992.
History
The Company was founded by George DowtyGeorge Dowty
-Early life:Dowty was born in Pershore, Worcestershire in 1901. He was sent to the Royal Grammar School Worcester after losing his right eye at the age of 12 playing around making a firework....
in 1935 making aircraft equipment in Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
under the name Dowty Aviation. In its early years the Company invented the first internally sprung aircraft wheel and went on to make landing gear for Frank Whittle
Frank Whittle
Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS was a British Royal Air Force engineer officer. He is credited with independently inventing the turbojet engine Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, OM, KBE, CB, FRS, Hon FRAeS (1 June 1907 – 9 August 1996) was a British Royal Air...
's jet-propelled Gloster aeroplane. In 1960 the Company acquired Rotol Airscrews
Dowty Rotol
Dowty Rotol is a British engineering company based in Cheltenham specialised in the manufacture of propellers and propeller components. It is owned by General Electric, forming part of its GE Aviation Systems division.-History:...
, giving it a propeller
Propeller (aircraft)
Aircraft propellers or airscrews convert rotary motion from piston engines or turboprops to provide propulsive force. They may be fixed or variable pitch. Early aircraft propellers were carved by hand from solid or laminated wood with later propellers being constructed from metal...
manufacturing capability (Dowty Rotol). In 1961 it acquired Boulton Paul Aircraft
Boulton Paul Aircraft
Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer that was created in 1934, although its origins lay in 1914, and lasted until 1961...
, no longer a large scale manufacturer of aircraft, producing research aircraft, but producing powered control units for aircraft as well as other activities. This was named Dowty Boulton Paul Ltd.
In the 1960s the Company went on to develop fuel control systems for the Harrier jump jet
Harrier Jump Jet
The Harrier, informally referred to as the Jump Jet, is a family of British-designed military jet aircraft capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing operations...
and power controls for Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
.
Dowty Group collaborated with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Group Messier
Snecma
Snecma is a major French manufacturer of engines for commercial and military aircraft, and for space vehicles. The name is an acronym for Société Nationale d'Étude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation .In 2005, the Snecma group, which included Snecma ,...
on aircraft landing gear and hydraulics over a long period of time.
In the late 1980s the Company diversified into telecommunications and computer equipment acquiring Datatel
Datatel
Datatel, Inc. is a private company that provides fully integrated software and professional services to build Enterprise Education Platforms for higher education. Founded in 1968 by Tom Davidson. It was originally a data processing service company, but has focused on higher education since 1979...
, a software business, in 1987, Case Group plc, a telecommunications business, in 1988 and Dataco, a provider of network services, in 1990.
Operations
The Company manufactured hydraulic and actuation systems, advanced propeller systems, turbine engine components and tubular systems, as well as owning the Hamble aircraft structures business. The Dowty Group was also a market leader in the manufacturing of Mining systems solutionsDemise of the business
The Company was acquired by TI GroupTI Group
TI Group plc was a holding company for specialised engineering companies. It was based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was registered as Tube Investments in 1919, combining the seamless steel tube businesses of Tubes Ltd, New Credenda Tube , Simplex and Accles & Pollock. In 1928 Reynolds Tube joined...
in 1992.
In 1993 TI Group hived off seven former Dowty Group companies engaged in the manufacture of electronic equipment by way of a management buy-out to form Ultra Electronics
Ultra Electronics
Ultra Electronics Holdings is a British company serving the defence, security, transport and energy industries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
.
In 1994 TI Group transferred the Dowty landing gear business into a joint venture formed with SNECMA
Snecma
Snecma is a major French manufacturer of engines for commercial and military aircraft, and for space vehicles. The name is an acronym for Société Nationale d'Étude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation .In 2005, the Snecma group, which included Snecma ,...
known as Messier-Dowty
Messier-Dowty
Messier-Dowty is a company involved in the design, development, manufacture and customer support of all types of aircraft landing gear. The company projects are divided into two business units: Airbus & European Programs and Boeing & North American Programs....
: in 1998 that business became wholly owned by Safran
SAFRAN
Safran is a French conglomerate involved in defense, aerospace propulsion and equipment, and security. It is the result of a merger between the propulsion and aerospace equipment group SNECMA and the defense conglomerate SAGEM. Its headquarters are located in Paris.The name Safran, literally...
.