'Jet suit' dazzles as aerospace research centres opens
A brand new £10 million aerospace research centre was opened today in Somerset
Last updated 22nd Feb 2022
Real-life 'jet suit man' Richard Browning today talked about his family history as he opened a new £10 million aerospace industry research centre in Somerset.
It's based at the Yeovil Leonardo helicopter-maker site , which the 43 year old test pilot and founder of Gravity Industries - who now lives in Salisbury - has family connections to.
Browning's grandad used to run Westland, as it was then known, and his parents met there .
At today's ceremony he flew in to greet guests and told them it was 'great to support the facility'.
Councillor David Hall, Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Community Infrastructure, said: “iAero plays a key part in our innovation portfolio to support key Somerset industries and sectors.
"It will support aerospace; the Energy Innovation Centre at Bridgwater supports the nuclear and low carbon industries while the Digital Innovation Centre under construction in Taunton, will support the county’s fast-growing digital economy.
“iAero represents a significant investment in the future of Somerset’s aerospace industry, delivered with funding from the County Council, the European Union and UK Government.”
Karl Tucker, chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “The launch of iAero is extremely exciting and of huge significance to the region. The centre will contribute to local economic growth and the creation of high-value jobs as well as our clean growth ambitions.
“iAero will provide an important facility to support the South West’s well-established aerospace cluster, and its national and global competitiveness. The facilities at iAero will enable the development of innovative and sustainable solutions, putting the South West at the centre of cutting-edge emission reducing technologies.
Nick Whitney, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, said: “Yeovil has a long history in aerospace. The iAero centre marks the next frontier for the aerospace community in Somerset. The freedom to explore, experiment, and engineer at the centre will ensure the region remains at the cutting-edge of innovative flight technologies.”
The iAero Centre has been funded by Somerset County Council, Government’s Local Growth Fund as part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal and the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme .
Councillor David Hall, Cabinet member for Economic Development, Planning and Community Infrastructure, said: “iAero plays a key part in our innovation portfolio to support key Somerset industries and sectors. It will support aerospace; the Energy Innovation Centre at Bridgwater supports the nuclear and low carbon industries while the Digital Innovation Centre under construction in Taunton, will support the county’s fast-growing digital economy.
“iAero represents a significant investment in the future of Somerset’s aerospace industry, delivered with funding from the County Council, the European Union and UK Government.”
Karl Tucker, chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: “The launch of iAero is extremely exciting and of huge significance to the region. The centre will contribute to local economic growth and the creation of high-value jobs as well as our clean growth ambitions.
“iAero will provide an important facility to support the South West’s well-established aerospace cluster, and its national and global competitiveness. The facilities at iAero will enable the development of innovative and sustainable solutions, putting the South West at the centre of cutting-edge emission reducing technologies.
“We are delighted to have been able to support the iAero Centre with funding from our Growth Deal and Getting Building Fund allocations and look forward to seeing the fantastic work which will surely take place here in the coming years.”
Nick Whitney, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, said: “Yeovil has a long history in aerospace. The iAero centre marks the next frontier for the aerospace community in Somerset. The freedom to explore, experiment, and engineer at the centre will ensure the region remains at the cutting-edge of innovative flight technologies.”
The iAero Centre has been funded by Somerset County Council, Government’s Local Growth Fund as part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal and the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme . Fit out of the Centre is being funded by Government’s Getting Building Fund with these monies secured by Somerset County Council via the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.