Gallery: Norwich Aviation Training Center Takes Hands-On Approach

Aviation Week Network went behind the scenes at International Aviation Academy in Norwich, England, to see the “emulation zone” where students get hands-on experience with a real Boeing 737-800, nicknamed “Elsie.” Read on to find out more about how the academy approaches preparing students to work in the MRO industry.

“Elsie” provides a realistic, practical training environment that emulates an aircraft undergoing maintenance in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency Part 145 organization. The Boeing 737-800 has been prepared and checked to ensure its systems are in working order for the pre-selected maintenance tasks to be completed.

Nigel Fromage, pictured here, is a technical training instructor KLM UK Engineering at the International Aviation Academy Norwich. Students start with learning basic tool usage and progress to more complex tasks like bulkhead inspections and engine component removal.

The facility is described as unique in the UK, providing a rare hands-on experience in aviation training.

The facility focuses on practical skills, allowing students to disassemble, rebuild and inspect various aircraft components.

Students work on a fully functional cockpit and engines, learning through real-world tasks. The emphasis is on learning from mistakes in a safe environment.

Students use maintenance manuals and job cards, mirroring industry practices, to replicate a real-world maintenance environment, including shift handovers and problem-solving scenarios.

Students are encouraged to understand the ‘why’ behind tasks, not just the ‘how.’ They learn about the consequences of their actions, including legal and safety implications.

Training includes aircraft air conditioning systems, avionics and cabin systems. Travel and tourism students are also trained in cabin crew procedures.

Students are given tasks that require them to follow detailed drawings and work to specific tolerances. They are also given fault-finding practical tasks. The training emphasizes precision, with students working to tight tolerances and maintaining surface finishes. They learn the importance of accuracy in measurements and repairs.

Electrical workshops and classrooms provide training in aircraft wiring, navigation light systems and fault diagnosis

The Boulton Paul P.10 was the first British aircraft to have a frame built entirely from metal. These segments displayed at the International Aviation Academy Norwich are the oldest surviving pieces of British metal aircraft in existence.