Students set for new aircraft degree in Ayr

Aug 20 2010 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

STUDENTS dreaming of a sky-high career will head for Ayr next month.

For the University of the West of Scotland is launching its new Aircraft Engineering degree.

The course, which will run at Ayr College, has been developed with input from industry leaders like Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems, PAML (Prestwick Aircraft Maintenance Ltd) and Goodrich.

Neil McManus, vice president and managing director of Spirit AeroSystems (Europe) Limited, said: “The greatest asset that our company has is our people.

“This degree course is a vital part of making sure that we have the right people with the right skills, experience and attitude in place.

“Companies like Spirit make a massive contribution to the Scottish economy and to the communities in which we operate.

“Keeping and developing a highly skilled workforce is key to that ongoing success.”

Students will gain practical skills in the aerospace labs at Ayr College where many of the aerospace industry’s engineers have been trained.

From 2011 a new purpose-built £1.7 million facility will open on the college campus, housing a small aircraft, a composite materials lab, wind tunnels for aerodynamics testing, and industry-standard CATIA computing labs for 3D modeling.

Sean McGovern, Business Director Support of BAE Systems, added: “Our engineering apprentice programme, which we started five years ago, is now generating highly proficient aerospace trained engineers from the local community and we believe that this new course can only strengthen the opportunities available to students in the local area.”

Prestwick student Rory McLarnon will be one of the first on the new degree course.

He said: “I was attracted to this degree as it has been developed in close partnership with industry and will allow students to learn industry standard methods and techniques from former aviation employees.

“Aviation technology is starting out on a new curve, with unmanned flight and bio fuels technology advancing almost daily, and I am confident that this new degree will equip me with the skills required for a successful career in this exciting industry.”

The course will cover areas such as advanced avionics, aerodynamics and the design of aerospace structures. Composite materials are increasingly used as part of an aircraft’s structure and students will also be introduced to their design, manufacturing and testing requirements.

David Smyth, Acting Head of University of the West of Scotland’s School of Engineering, said: “The UK has the world’s largest aerospace industry outside of the USA and this unique collaboration will see students having the chance to work with the latest aerospace technology and gain the skills and training required to achieve success in this thriving industry.”

And Eric Cairney, Director of Engineering and Construction at Ayr College, added: “By working together with University of the West of Scotland, we can give Ayrshire students a greater opportunity to achieve a degree in Ayr enabling them to continue to live at home.

“In terms of our brand new aircraft engineering teaching centre, it will be at the cutting-edge of learning, providing students with an unprecedented experience, ensuring they have the right qualifications and knowledge to take forward into the com-mercial world.”