- Aer Lingus recreated its inaugural Dublin to Bristol flight with the restored Iolar on 27 May 2026.
- The de Havilland DH.84 Dragon dates from 1936 and represents one of the last remaining aircraft of its type.
- Restoration work took four months at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome in County Longford.
- Engineers performed full top overhauls on both engines during the project.
- The aircraft previously operated with Aer Lingus for two years from 1936.
Aer Lingus has completed a tribute flight on the original Dublin to Bristol route by a restored historic de Havilland DH.84 Dragon aircraft named Iolar. The flightby aircraft EI ABI took place on 27 May 2026 exactly 90 years after the airline’s inaugural journey.
The original Iolar operated for two years with Aer Lingus from 1936 before it was sold. A sister aircraft entered the fleet in the 1960s and underwent restoration for the 50th anniversary in 1986. Technicians at Midland Aviation in Abbeyshrule Aerodrome County Longford carried out a four month restoration programme that included engine overhauls and airframe work.
Aer Lingus volunteers and specialists supported the project with archival research and traditional craftsmanship. The restored aircraft had been on display at Dublin Airport prior to the work.
The aircraft is a sister of the original Iolar, gifted by Darby Kennedy to Aer Lingus The original aircraft, a de Havilland DH.84 Dragon (registration EI-ABI), was sold by Aer Lingus to a British airline in 1938 and returned to England’s registry. It was subsequently shot down off the coast of Cornwall in 1940.
Lynne Embleton shared “The restoration of Iolar is a powerful way for us to reconnect with the very beginnings of our airline 90 years ago and the pioneering spirit that shaped Irish aviation. I am incredibly proud of the dedication and expertise shown by our colleagues and partners in bringing Iolar back to life, preserving an important piece of our history for future generations. As we mark our 90th anniversary we are conscious not only of where we have come from but how far we have progressed over the past nine decades.”
