Engineering news
Jointly funded by the government’s Aerospace Technology Institute programme and the aerospace multinational, the Aerospace Integrated Research and Test Centre (Airtec) opened today (3 June) in Filton, Bristol.
Covering the equivalent of two football pitches, Airtec is designed for structural testing of large-scale aircraft assemblies, from full-size wings down to individual components and materials used in aircraft design. Facilities include a 14m by 10m strong wall capable of testing wings with force equivalent to the weight of 240 cars.
“It provides the most advanced working environment and tools for Airbus alongside external suppliers, partners, and academia, to deliver the next generation of aircraft wing, landing-gear systems and fuel system designs,” an Airbus announcement said.
The centre will also aid the company’s design, manufacture, testing, certification and commercial operation of new zero-emission aircraft, with plans for ‘sustained investment’ in R&D. Airbus said the facility is ‘central’ to its Wing of Tomorrow programme, which is exploring the best materials, manufacturing, and assembly techniques for more fuel-efficient aircraft.
Universities and companies in other sectors – such as maritime and nuclear – will also be able to use the centre, which includes labs and collaborative office space.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, formally launched the centre. He said: “These top-class research and testing facilities will be used to continue the spirit of innovation for which we are world-renowned, and will produce the cleaner, more efficient flights of tomorrow.
“This is great news, not just for Filton but for the rest of the UK, which will benefit from jobs in the supply chain. I am proud of the government’s support for the centre’s construction, showing we are leaving no stone unturned in our drive to make the aviation industry cleaner.”
Airbus employs about 2,800 people at its site in Filton. The company is the largest commercial aerospace company in the UK, as well as its biggest civil aerospace exporter, employing more than 13,500 people at 25 sites across the country.
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