DARWEN aerospace company Brookhouse Composites will forge links with the US after gaining approval to repair American-registered aircraft.

Until recently the company, based at India Mill, was only certified to repair and overhaul parts on European-registered aircraft.

Now it has been formally approved by the Federal Aviation Administration as a certified repair station for American equipment.

It means Brookhouse can now repair and overhaul composite parts on US-registered aircraft on behalf of manufacturers and airlines.

Brookhouse also designs, builds and tests component parts for aircraft.