1980s The 1980s saw the privatisation of British Aerospace and of Rolls-Royce. It was a decade of major political change behind the Iron Curtain with the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, the overthrow of the Ceauşescu regime in Romania and the breaking down of the Berlin Wall. It was also the decade of yuppies, shoulder-pads and Live Aid. 1981 British Aerospace privatised. Other UK and world events this year: Space Shuttle Columbia launched for its first mission. 1982 Sea Harriers shoot down 21 Argentine jets without combat loss during Falklands War. June 1982 RB199 operational with RAF. Other UK and world events this year: Laker Airways calls in the receivers. First Airbus A310 completed. July 1985 Giotto launched. Other UK and world events this year: First launch of space shuttle Atlantis. 30 April 1986 First Filton-built wings for the Airbus consortium's A320 despatched. 11 August 1986 Westland Lynx with two Rolls-Royce Gem60 engines sets World's Helicopter Speed record at 400.87kph which still stands (Gems built at Bristol since 1992). Other UK and world events this year: Space shuttle Challenger explodes 75 seconds after take off. 1987 Rolls-Royce privatised. Other UK and world events this year: British Airports Authority is privatised. 1989 End of guided missile production at Filton. 14 August 1989 Harrier with Pegasus 11-61 engine sets time-to-height records at 3,000m (36.38 seconds), 6,000m (55.38 seconds) and 9,000m (81 seconds). Other UK and world events this year: Space shuttle Atlantis launches Jupiter probe.
				Pickets at British Aerospace Dynamic gates, 1984. Sea Harriers (Rolls-Royce plc). See the Giotto Space Vehicle mock-up at the Bristol Aero Collection at Kemble. Search the Aviation Archive for images of West of England aircraft in the 1980s.