Mirus Aircraft Seating has received grant approval to build what it claims will be the largest commercially available aircraft seating test facility in the UK. The 407m² facility will be an extension to Mirus’ 2,500m² head office site in Norfolk, housing the latest aircraft testing technology and with the largest capacity currently in the market, according to the company. Construction of the £4m site will begin in September 2021, with the official opening scheduled for July 2022.
The facility will include a state-of-the-art, dynamic test sled, for destructive or non-destructive crash test replication. The 30m-long sled is designed for high-impact testing of automotive, aerospace, motorsport and rail vehicles.
Ben McGuire, CEO of Mirus stated, “The addition of our very own in-house testing facility is a momentous milestone for Mirus and a significant investment in the local economy. This will improve our capabilities right across the business, by reducing programme lead times, increasing our technical knowledge, and strengthening our overall competence.
“This will be the newest dynamic seat testing facility in the UK and will rival some of the very best facilities across Europe. It will give us the ability to develop new technologies at a much faster pace, allowing us to innovate and meet the specific needs of our discerning airline clients.”
Grant approval has been given by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership Growing Business Fund. The facility represents an investment of over £4 million (US$5.4m) in the Norfolk economy, and Mirus has started a recruitment drive for numerous highly skilled jobs across engineering and project management.
Mirus currently works with Airbus, TUI Group, and Air Asia, with more than 120,000 of its flagship Hawk seats ordered and flying on aircraft. The company is looking to expand its client base with the opening of the new facility.
