Firstly let me start by saying I hope that you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well during these difficult times. Wherever you are in the world, please know that we at Cranfield are thinking of you.
We are enormously grateful for all of the support that has been so generously given to the fundraising campaign to replace our Flying Classroom with a modified Saab 340B+ aircraft. At a time when there is so much disruption internationally, we thought that our supporters would like to hear what is happening with the project.
In November 2019, Professor Nick Lawson, Head of the National Flying Laboratory Centre (NFLC), and myself travelled out to the Saab factory in Linköping, Sweden to officially take ownership of the aircraft – known as ‘Ship 456’ as it was the 456th Saab 340 aircraft to be built (out of a total of 459 that were constructed). If only someone had taken a photo of the look on our faces when they saw the aircraft for the first time! It has been freshly painted in Cranfield livery to match the Boeing 737 that was gifted by British Airways and it looks absolutely stunning.
The Saab 340B+ has been through a major overhaul to return it to operational status (as it had been in storage) and to convert it to European standards. The aircraft had been delivered to US airline Mesaba in December 1998 and flew as N456XJ in the colours of Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection until being returned to Saab. The team at Saab who overhauled the aircraft included engineers who had built the aircraft and they were on hand to toast a glass of (non-alcoholic) champagne to its new purpose.
Saab no longer produces commercial aircraft, but many Saab 340 and 2000 aircraft are finding new uses as special-purpose aircraft. There is still a large global fleet operating as commercial aircraft and Saab are very keen to continue to support the University. The company fitted the Cranfield Digital Air Traffic Control tower which became the UK’s first operational digital tower at the end of 2018. Saab is also a founding partner in DARTeC – the £67m Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre, which is being constructed with financial support from Research England and industrial partners including Thales, Boeing UK, Inmarsat, Aveillant, Boxarr, IVHM Centre and Blue Bear Systems. The Saab 340B+ will play a major role in DARTeC as a research platform. Students boarding the flying classroom flights at Cranfield will also have the opportunity to experience the ‘airport of the future’ work that will be happening in the Centre.
Having officially taken ownership of the aircraft, it will now be converted to its new role as a flying classroom and laboratory. This is a major activity that requires design work, approval by the regulator, and modifications. The aircraft also needs to be maintained during this period, which is being done by Saab under its Part-M Continuing Airworthiness approvals, and the aircraft is safely stored in the factory during 2020 while the work takes place.
As you can imagine, the COVID-19 Pandemic is having some effect on the programme, but we are working hard to manage the disruption. Our Project Manager, Scott Carmichael (MSc Air Transport Management 2016) is working closely with the NFLC team, our Aviation Director, Rob Abbott, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Saab and a range of suppliers to ensure that the project is delivered safely and to the highest standards. We also need to ensure that the transition from the current Jetstream 31 aircraft is a smooth one, particularly in terms of the training that our flight crew will receive and the flying that needs to take place to collect data that can be used in the laboratory sessions that students will undertake. Our current estimate is that the aircraft will fly its first cohort of students in early 2021, but in the current, global uncertainty, we have several contingency plans in development!
At a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in February, Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall presented the University its sixth Queen’s Anniversary Prize – this time for the work of the National Flying Laboratory Centre. The prize is the highest honour that can be given to a UK Academic Institution and we will make sure that the aircraft carries the badge with pride. It is a fitting recognition of the work of the NFLC team and it could not have occurred at a more exciting point in our history.
Don't forget, you can keep up-to-date with how your donation is helping and discover more about the NFLC at www.cranfield.ac.uk/NFLCcampaign.