Aspiring young engineers attended a special session today on ‘Flight Vehicles for the Future’, as part of a major international conference on aviation being held in Northern Ireland. Hosted by Queen’s University Belfast, Invest Northern Ireland and Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast, in conjunction with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), this is the first time the conference is taking place outside the US. ‘Aviation: Industry without Borders’ has attracted leading players in aerospace research, design, manufacturing and operations from across the world, some of whom took part in today’s event at W5, in Belfast.
Around 150 pupils aged 16-19 years old, from schools across Northern Ireland, attended presentations by key conference participants such as Bombardier, Boeing and NASA. Focusing on innovations in aircraft technologies, David Corbett, Project Engineer, Bombardier, presented on the company’s CRJ Series, the world’s most successful family of regional aircraft. Bombardier’s CRJ1000 regional jet, the latest major step in the evolution of the series, was launched in February this year and is scheduled to enter service in calendar year 2009.
Students considering careers in aviation also got the chance to hear first-hand the experiences of local graduate, Cara Scott. Recently-qualified in aerospace engineering, she spoke of the opportunities the industry has to offer tomorrow’s aviators.
To balance a day of theory and interaction, workshops geared at demonstrating the practical applications of mathematics and physics in aviation provided fun exercises such as model-building.
The event’s activities culminated in a competition to test pupil participation. Three lucky winners will visit British Airway’s (BA) training facility at Cranebank, Middlesex, next month. The prizes, sponsored by Bombardier, BA and Queen’s University, include the chance to fly a simulated aircraft and to take part in cabin crew training such as emergency evacuation procedures.
Congratulating the winning students, Gavin Campbell, Director, Design Engineering and Technology Development, Bombardier, said: “Today was a great opportunity for pupils in Northern Ireland to take part in an international forum on the future of aviation. It was an exciting and inspirational setting in which to learn from the industry’s innovators.
“A key theme of this conference is the current environmental challenges facing the aviation industry. In response to such challenges, the use of advanced composite wing components on our CRJ Series offers the potential for reduced weight and improved aerodynamics, which contribute to fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide engine emissions. At Bombardier, we are committed to investing in the next generation of composite technologies to ensure the company continues to play an increasing role in new aircraft design.”
About Bombardier
A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from regional aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada. Its revenues for the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2007, were $14.8 billion US and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). News and information are available at www.bombardier.com.
Bombardier and CRJ1000 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Information
Maria Ryan
Public Relations Advisor
Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast
Tel +44 (0) 28 90468545