Air and Space Institute (ASI) Newark

Constructing Excellence

The Air and Space Institute is a state-of-the-art development in Newark-on-Trent. The world class facility is part of an expansion plan by Lincoln College to provide training to young adults for various roles within the aviation and space industries along with associated infrastructure.

It is anticipated the proposals could form a model for future establishments of this kind in other areas across the UK. The ASI provides a unique opportunity for school leavers aged 16-18 to train for pilot, engineer and ground-crew roles in airlines, the military, airports and logistics companies across the UK and abroad.

The new three-storey College building is only the second of it’s type to be built in the UK, accommodating a full-sized Airbus A318 for enhanced hands-on teaching experience, alongside a double height entrance hall, large open space hangar, flight simulators, teaching zones, engineering workshops, lecture and seminar areas.

Introducing a full-sized commercial aeroplane into a building provided our Construction Team key challenges including ensuring the installation was successfully implemented within the tight tolerances of the building. The initial brief was just a section of the fuselage to be placed into the building. Through collaborative innovation on how the plane would be supported on specially designed wheel mounts, we were able to install the Airbus A318 as a whole unit, enhancing the learning experience for the students.

Three Winning Facts:
  1. A full-size Airbus A318 is permanently positioned inside the hangar.
  2. £25,315,802 Total Social Value (Loop).
  3. 99.3% waste recycled; 17 tonnes of CO2 saved.