As Scope Widens, Isle of Man Aircraft Registry Maintains Focus on Quality

Simon Williams, Isle of Man director of civil aviation, spoke with Ian Sheppard before the Isle of Man Aviation Conference on June 26, 2025, about the registry's expanding services and aircraft eligible for the M-Reg.

Simon Williams became the Isle of Man's director of civil aviation (DCA) on Oct. 1, 2014, taking over the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry as part of his role. Former DCA Brian Johnson established the registry in 2007. After obtaining the M registration mark from Spain, the registry quickly built up its administration capabilities, a team of surveyors, and a reputation for efficient service to non-commercial aircraft owners, including business jets and twin turbine helicopters.

Williams first digitized the registry, enabling electronic certificates of airworthiness and registration. This eliminated wait times for paper documents and courier costs.

Scope Widened

The Aircraft Registry was established under an agreement with the UK CAA, excluding Commercial Air Transport (CAT) aircraft – no airliners or charter aircraft on Air Operator Certificates (AOC).

Williams identified opportunities to expand IOMAR's services. The Isle of Man, while part of the British Isles but not the United Kingdom, legislates through its ancient Parliament – Tynwald and the House of Keys.

"There's a lot of things you can do quite properly now on the M-Reg that weren't enabled before," he says. "The aviation legislation in the Isle of Man was effectively a copy-and-paste of the UK ANO (Air Navigation Order) in the first instance to set the registry up."

Legislation effective Aug. 1, 2022, allowed newly registered aircraft to perform various Aerial Work activities. For example, demonstration flights now permit clients to fly aircraft before purchase. "Why shouldn't a client be able to fly a G650 before buying it, as long as there are no safety concerns and costs are appropriately handled?" asks Williams. The registry's dual role as "legislator and regulator" allows it to "draft contemporary rules that align with ICAO and best practices fit for the modern context."

Other Aerial Work and delivery flights are now permitted, creating a large potential market for aircraft based worldwide.

The team streamlined registration for transitional aircraft between commercial leases – including business jets, helicopters, and airliners (temporarily registerable since 2009). This benefits owners, financiers and lessors.

Future Plans

"We're not finished by a long way yet," says Williams. "We're just at the Comment Response Document stage for mortgaging legislation – and updating Isle of Man mortgaging provision last tended to in 1972. We're constantly evolving, adapting and very much open for business."

Williams notes increasing interest from global owners and operators, particularly from South Africa. "On the back of our hard work, word of mouth has spread." He adds that word of mouth is most effective despite other registries' larger marketing budgets. "We tend to under-promise and over-deliver," emphasizing the importance of being able to do what you say you can.

His next priorities are updated flight operations and airworthiness regulations, which he calls "the last two big ones." These will focus on business aviation, "our core business."

Williams maintains cost-effectiveness for clients. "We are not a profit center, nor should we be. The M-Reg is meant to be a cost-neutral springboard for the industry on the island and internationally."

Some aircraft have remained on the Registry since it opened in 2007. Williams believes the Isle of Man Aircraft Registry is truly on the map in the business aviation world. "We’re mainstream now. This October I will have been in the post for 11 years and most of the team are still with me. The core staff of 21 hasn’t grown significantly. We have four in flight operations now, a core of eight in registry services—the hub of the operation—and the airworthiness team (surveyors) plus other disciplines. Twenty-one people is a pretty small core team. But we’ve really thought about the value of what we’re trying to achieve and outsource where appropriate to maximise efficiency without compromising quality."

Business Aviation Center of Excellence

After over a decade leading the Registry, Williams remains enthusiastic about making the Isle of Man "an Aviation Center of Excellence." He welcomes expansion plans for the FBO at Ronaldsway (EGNS), the island's only commercial airport near Castletown.

The new operator, Megacorp, has acquired other local transport and tourism businesses, including some at the airport. Its subsidiary now handles general aviation, including during the annual TT motorcycle races in late May/early June.

Williams describes the Isle of Man as "a brilliant location" for aircraft crossing the Atlantic or traveling to Europe. The Isle of Man Aviation Conference (IOMAC) demonstrated industry enthusiasm with over 140 international delegates attending this year.

Despite this success, Williams acknowledges challenges facing business aviation, including its public image – "fat cats in gas guzzlers," as BBGA chair Aoife O'Sullivan described it at the conference.

The Isle of Man's reputation as a tax haven presents another challenge, though Williams emphasizes that tax matters are separate from aircraft registration and his role as safety regulator. He focuses on serving aircraft owners who might get overlooked in larger registries dominated by airliners and commercial operations.

Supply chain disruptions following COVID-19 have created additional industry challenges, making parts sourcing time-consuming and expensive.

Regarding emissions, Williams notes that business aviation "constitutes a tiny percentage of overall global emissions, but the industry has a high profile and it can be frustrating to see how it is occasionally pilloried in some quarters. [At the same time], the technological advances this industry has made have been spectacular." For example, every new generation of engines is 10-15% more efficient.

After missing the 2024 conference due to COVID-19, Williams enthusiastically attended the 2025 event, which was jointly organized by Martyn Fiddler and the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA).

The Aircraft Registry was a main event sponsor. Williams is keen to point out that the conference is structured to maximize networking opportunities, with receptions before and after the main event at local points of interest. With heavyweight sponsors like Pratt & Whitney now involved, Williams is confident the Conference and Aircraft Registry will continue to grow and promote a thriving business aviation sector on the Isle of Man. "Business aviation has a great story to tell; IOMAR has a great story to tell, and together they make a compelling combination."