A new cutting-edge aerospace R&D project supporting highly-skilled jobs at Airbus Filton in the South West will benefit from £12 million in combined government and industry funding, Industry
Minister Nusrat Ghani has announced today (5 July).
The project will develop new aircraft wing technology, in particular for longer aircraft wings, to reduce CO2 emissions from flights and will upskill local employees and apprentices in a range of roles, including technicians and engineers.
Longer wings make it easier for an aircraft to create lift without using as much fuel, helping to reduce CO2 emissions. The project will explore the technology for a folding mechanism for longer wings, so that they can be retracted and aircraft do not take up more space at airports as a result.
The funding will be delivered through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme and was announced following Minister Ghani’s visit to Airbus Filton yesterday.
Minister Ghani also opened a new state-of-the-art Wing Technology Development Centre, which will house the next generation of aircraft wing technologies and production capabilities.
Minister for Industry and Economic Security Nusrat Ghani said:
Our world-class aerospace sector is helping us grow the economy and lead the way on greener air travel, and this new project at Airbus Filton will make sure the South West stays at the forefront of this innovation.
We’re backing our aerospace sector to soar, and projects like these are helping drive forward our goal of net zero air travel by 2050 and securing high-wage, high-skill jobs across the country in the process.
Around 2,700 staff work in high-skilled roles at Airbus Filton, which has established itself as the company’s lead UK site for civil aircraft R&D and develops some of the most exciting future technologies in aircraft wing design, fuel systems and landing gear.
The funding announced today builds on £218 million of support for cutting-edge UK aerospace research projects announced last month at the Paris Air Show, where Airbus also announced Indian airline IndiGo’s historic purchase of 500 Airbus A320-family aircraft.
This was the biggest single purchase by an airline in commercial aviation history and will be worth billions to the UK economy, with Airbus manufacturing almost all its aircraft wings in the UK.
The ATI funding announced also forms part of a joint commitment with industry to invest in new aircraft and manufacturing technologies set to help secure at least £20 billion of further private investment in the UK aerospace sector and support over 100,000 jobs across the country.
Yesterday, Minister Ghani also gave a keynote address at an event hosted by key suppliers to the UK aerospace industry and manufacturers of aircraft components, including GKN, Airbus, Spirit AeroSystems and many other smaller businesses.
In her speech, the Minister set out the Government’s commitment to backing more innovation and investment in UK aerospace to an audience of companies in the industry – including a range of aerospace SMEs – considering investing in the UK.
The event marked the first time that the UK’s leading manufacturers in the aerospace sector have come together to give a joint message on their plans for the future and ambitions to attract more investment into the UK. Photo by Chris McAndrew, Wikimedia commons.