29 Jun 2007 | Ref. 213/2007
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Two aircraft in the new AirSpace museum at Duxford
Duxford, United Kingdom. – BAE Systems and its test pilots joined forces with the Imperial War Museum (IWM) to host 900 young people at a unique science and engineering event.
The event celebrated the imminent opening of the new £25 million AirSpace museum at Duxford, Cambridgeshire that tells the story of Britain’s civil and military aviation and is designed to inspire future generations to realise the potential of careers in aerospace engineering. BAE Systems is the largest corporate supporter of the museum which highlights the innovation of BAE Systems’ antecedent aircraft manufacturers – including such famous names as AVRO, English Electric, De Havilland, Bristol Aeroplane Company, Hawker-Siddeley and Scottish Aviation.
Speaking at the event, Nigel Whitehead, group managing director of Military Air Solutions at BAE Systems, sought to outline the importance of engineers for the technology sector. “There is a significant shortage of engineers in the UK,” he said. “In the last ten years we’ve only managed to produce about 24,000 engineering graduates a year. But in China and India there are half a million new engineers a year. We need creative, problem-solving engineers immersed in new technologies to help our country compete internationally and that’s why BAE Systems has made a significant investment in AirSpace.”
Richard Ashton director of IWM Duxford was equally challenging saying that a third of British companies surveyed by the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) are finding new product development is being limited by a lack of engineers. “The RAE has just announced a call for a 50 per cent increase in funding for engineering students” he said. “We absolutely support that commitment to education and AirSpace has an important role to play in inspiring future engineering, design, technology and aviation students of the future. It’s one of the reasons we offer free entry for children and we expect to entertain and educate more than 175,000 children in AirSpace every year.”
More than 30 iconic British and Commonwealth aircraft will be on display in the three-acre (12,000 sq m) AirSpace exhibition which officially opens on 11 July 2007. These include the Avro Vulcan, Avro Lancaster, English Electric Lightning, Fairey Swordfish, Supermarine Spitfire, the Hawker Siddeley Harrier, Panavia Tornado and BAC / Aerospatiale Concorde. In addition to BAE Systems’ support the project has been made possible with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the East of England Development Agency.
As well as learning about the story and principles of flight with Keith Dennison, BAE Systems’ chief test pilot for Typhoon, Hawk, Harrier and Tornado aircraft, Dave Eagles – a former Tornado test pilot and John Cockburn – a former test pilot on the Canberra, Meteor and Lightning aircraft, the children took part in paper aeroplane championships and had a lively horizontal rocket demonstration. They also looked at how the materials used to construct aircraft have developed over the years from wood and metal through to complex alloys and space-age carbon fibre.
AirSpace contains an area devoted to aircraft conservation, a range of supporting exhibition and gallery spaces, a purpose built suite of classrooms and education workshops, a conference facility and a 200-seat lecture theatre.
The relationship between BAE Systems and AirSpace is planned as a long-term partnership with a commitment by both to preserve aviation history and inspire future generations.
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 88,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded 13.7 billion pounds sterling (US25.4 billion dollars) in 2006.
For further information please contact:
Lisa Hillary-Tee, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384934 Mob: +44 (0)7801 718994
lisa.hillary-tee@baesystems.com
