Construction of the new £35 million Aerospace Integration Research Centre (AIRC) at Cranfield University (www.cranfield.ac.uk) has been given the go-ahead, and site clearance began a few weeks ago.

Professor Iain Gray, Cranfield’s director of aerospace, said: “The AIRC will foster close collaboration between leading researchers, the Centre partners and the wider aerospace supply chain. It will directly contribute to the competitiveness and prosperity of the aerospace industry, plus the wider UK and European economy.

“Work at the Centre will focus on the development of new integrated propulsion, airframe and sub-system technologies, with resulting benefits in the performance, emission control and efficiency of future aircraft.”

The ground floor will comprise open laboratory space capable of housing large airframe integration projects, with ‘state of the art’ simulation facilities on the middle floor. Researchers and engineers from Cranfield and its partner companies will work closely together in an open-plan office on the top floor.

The AIRC project’s investment consists of funding from Rolls-Royce and Airbus, HEFCE (the Higher Education Funding Council for England) and from Cranfield itself.

It is due to open for business in autumn 2016 and is part of a broader £54 million investment in the university’s aerospace and transport facilities.