{"id":188254,"date":"2026-05-27T14:00:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T14:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/?p=188254"},"modified":"2026-05-28T11:58:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T11:58:13","slug":"aer-lingus-celebrates-90-years-by-recreating-inaugural-flight-with-de-havilland-dh-84-dragon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2026\/05\/aer-lingus-celebrates-90-years-by-recreating-inaugural-flight-with-de-havilland-dh-84-dragon.html","title":{"rendered":"Aer Lingus Celebrates 90 Years by Recreating Inaugural Flight with de Havilland DH.84 Dragon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Aer Lingus <\/strong>has commemorated its nine decades of history with the restoration and return to flight of the <em><strong>Iolar<\/strong><\/em>, its most iconic aircraft. This historic airplane has taken to the skies once again to recreate the original route that marked the airline&#8217;s inception in 1936.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rebirth of an Irish Aviation Legend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>EI-ABI, christened <em>Iolar<\/em> (the Irish word for &#8220;eagle&#8221;), is a de Havilland DH.84 Dragon manufactured in 1936. It represents an invaluable piece of global aviation heritage, being one of the last remaining airframes of its type in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The aircraft departed from Dublin bound for Bristol Airport, completing a nostalgic journey that precisely replicated the company&#8217;s inaugural flight on May 27, 1936.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u2192 <a href=\"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2026\/05\/aer-lingus-launches-direct-flights-between-dublin-and-pittsburgh.html\">Aer Lingus Launches Direct Flights Between Dublin and Pittsburgh<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Story Behind the Legend<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Origin:<\/strong> In its early days back in 1936, Aer Lingus was a fledgling startup operating a single aircraft, a single route, and carrying just five passengers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Fate of the Original:<\/strong> The original <em>Iolar<\/em> flew with the carrier for two years before being sold and subsequently lost during World War II.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Current Aircraft:<\/strong> The aircraft flying today is a sister ship that joined the fleet in the 1960s. After initially being restored for the airline&#8217;s 50th anniversary in 1986, it was re-registered with the original tail number EI-ABI to preserve it as the ultimate symbol of the company&#8217;s heritage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A High-Precision Technical Restoration Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Prior to this milestone, the aircraft had been on display at the airline&#8217;s maintenance headquarters at Dublin Airport. To return it to airworthy status for the 90th anniversary, a four-month restoration project was entrusted to Midland Aviation at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome, with critical support provided by a team of airline volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team combined historical archival research, advanced aerospace engineering, and traditional craftsmanship to ensure the structural authenticity of the biplane. Key maintenance tasks included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Powerplants:<\/strong> Complete disassembly and top overhauls of both engines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Airframe and Finish:<\/strong> Meticulous cosmetic restoration of the fuselage and wings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aviation Carpentry:<\/strong> Craftsmanship provided by one of Ireland&#8217;s last specialized aviation carpenters, a critical factor in maintaining the historical accuracy of the wooden components.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This preservation project, celebrating the country&#8217;s industrial and transport heritage, was funded and backed by the Aer Lingus Charitable Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nine Decades of Evolution Connecting Ireland to the World<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Aer Lingus Chief Executive Lynne Embleton highlighted the emotional and operational impact of this achievement, noting that the restoration of the <em>Iolar<\/em> allows a direct reconnection with the pioneering spirit that shaped Irish aviation 90 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The airline&#8217;s evolution since that first overwater flight reflects a history of growth and resilience. Throughout its legacy, the carrier has transported some of the world&#8217;s most prominent figures, from Popes to Presidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Future of the Airline<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From operating a single route with five passengers across the Irish Sea in 1936, the airline has transformed into a robust international network. Today, it connects Ireland directly to more than 100 destinations across Europe, the UK, and North America. The return of the <em>Iolar<\/em> to the skies is not only a tribute to the past but the departure point for a new chapter of innovation at the airline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-topics\">Related Topics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-post-grid uagb-post-grid  uagb-post__image-position-top uagb-post__image-enabled uagb-block-9e302684     uagb-post__items uagb-post__columns-2 is-grid uagb-post__columns-tablet-2 uagb-post__columns-mobile-1 uagb-post__equal-height\" data-total=\"207\" style=\"\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"uagb-post__inner-wrap\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='uagb-post__image'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2026\/05\/aviation-geopolitics-china-delays-airbus-deliveries-to-pressure-europe-over-c919-certification.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"bookmark noopener noreferrer\" class='uagb-image-ratio-inherit'><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" 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Increased Amsterdam Flights<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class='uagb-post__text uagb-post-grid-byline'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"uagb-post__text uagb-post__cta wp-block-button\">\n\t\t\t\t<a class=\"wp-block-button__link uagb-text-link\" style=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2026\/05\/singapore-airlines-to-boost-european-connectivity-with-increased-amsterdam-flights.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"bookmark noopener noreferrer\">Read More<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Aer Lingus has commemorated its nine decades of history with the restoration and return to flight of the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":4312,"featured_media":188249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[840,230,269],"class_list":{"0":"post-188254","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-airlines","8":"tag-aer-lingus-2","9":"tag-airline","10":"tag-europe"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-300x150.webp",300,150,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-768x384.webp",768,384,true],"large":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"pk-small":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-80x80.webp",80,80,true],"pk-thumbnail":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-300x225.webp",300,225,true],"csco-small":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-80x80.webp",80,80,true],"csco-intermediate":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-200x140.webp",200,140,true],"csco-thumbnail":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-380x220.webp",380,220,true],"csco-thumbnail-alternative":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-300x180.webp",300,180,true],"csco-thumbnail-uncropped":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-380x190.webp",380,190,true],"csco-medium":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"csco-medium-alternative":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos-560x336.webp",560,336,true],"csco-medium-uncropped":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"csco-large":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"csco-large-uncropped":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false],"csco-extra-large":["https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Aer-Lingus-celebra-90-anos.webp",800,400,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Dergam Mousa","author_link":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/author\/dmousa"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Aer Lingus has commemorated its nine decades of history with the restoration and return to flight of the&hellip;","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4312"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188254"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188255,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188254\/revisions\/188255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/188249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}