Aerospace is utterly central to the identity of Cranfield and has been throughout our seventy-year history.
Cranfield University is continuing to develop the vision of Cranfield as the global research airport, we have a fantastic range of facilities with the Aerospace Integration Research Centre, the Digital Air Traffic Control Tower, and the Digital Aviation Research Technology Centre which will be open at the end of next year.
The National Flying Laboratory and Classroom is another crucial, unique facility at Cranfield. It gives students who are studying here at Cranfield, the opportunity to fly in a flight test regime. And that experience is one which no other university in the UK, can provide. We provide it not only for our own students but by working with 25 other universities we provide this experience for virtually every aerospace undergraduate from across the UK.
How better to learn about aerodynamics, than by experiencing them in flight
The flying classroom enables students to turn the theory they’ve learnt in the classroom into reality. It takes them into a flight regime that they would never normally experience on a commercial flight, for example, they get to experience what it is to go through a Dutch Roll.
We know, from talking to the students, how important the experience is, how it brings that theory into real life, and how then they take that into their future careers as they become the aerospace leaders of the future. It’s also one of those hugely inspirational and exciting experiences they have as part of their study period and many students regard it as the highlight of their studies.
Looking to the future
Unfortunately, the Jetstream 31 aircraft that we have been using for the past 15 years is ageing, so we took the decision to purchase and fit a Saab 340B. This will help us to deliver better training to more students, enhancing Cranfield’s contribution towards developing the aerospace leaders of tomorrow.
Cranfield University has committed a significant amount to purchase the plan and our industry and University partners have committed to support this project with funds because they believe, passionately, that it is a useful addition to students’ learning experience.
We are now asking for support from our alumni and friends to help us able to make the modifications so that we can continue to provide this great learning experience for students in the future.
If you share our vision for the future, or indeed if you have good memories of the National Flying Laboratory and Classroom and want to ensure that others can benefit from that same unique experience, then please consider supporting our campaign. You can make a single gift, or you can help us to maintain and develop the lab for years to come with a regular gift.
The support of our alumni, partners and friends is incredibly important for the future of the National Flying Laboratory and Classroom and we hope that you will consider supporting the campaign this year.
To support the new NFLC please visit our online donation page at www.cranfield.ac.uk/givenow or download, print and mail a Gift Form.
For any questions about the campaign, please contact the Alumni Relations & Development team on +44(0)1234 754377 or giving@cranfield.ac.uk