£15m aerospace training facility opens doors

The £15.4m Air and Space Institute (ASI) in Newark has welcomed its first students, offering education for the aerospace industry’s future pilots, engineers, and ground crew.

Built by G F Tomlinson through the Pagabo National Framework, the ASI facility caters to students aged 16-18, training them for careers in airlines, the military, airports, and logistics both in the UK and abroad.

The three-storey building, adjacent to Newark and Sherwood District Council offices, includes advanced training equipment like a full-sized Airbus A318, flight simulators, and engineering workshops.

Adrian Grocock, managing director at G F Tomlinson, said: “It’s been an honour to turn Lincoln College Group’s vision into a reality, providing a world-class training facility for young people going into the aerospace industry.

“We worked closely with the client using the latest technology and specialist advice to ensure the seamless construction of the new campus building and the installation of the large commercial aircraft for educational purposes – consulting with third party experts to manage the transportation and stabilisation of the aircraft to its final fixed position.”

Councillor Matthew Spoors, portfolio holder for sustainable economic development at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “This is a huge moment not just for Newark but the whole district. We now have an amazing world-class training centre right in the heart of our community which will be giving local students opportunities to pursue successful and inspiring careers like they’ve never had before.

“This goes beyond just education but will create exciting developments for our local community. It will provide employment opportunities and boost our local economy and will be home to over 200 students each year. It will directly create almost 40 new jobs for the area and importantly will create many more over the coming generations to those wanting to embark on careers and pathways into better-skilled, well-paid jobs in the civil and military aviation industries.

“The ASI has all been made possible thanks to the successful Newark Town Board bid for £25m as part of the Government’s Towns Fund initiative in 2019 and it’s been great to see students already studying at the site after years of planning and construction.”