OVERVIEW

NIAR's Aircraft Structural Testing and Evaluation Center (ASTEC) is a unique facility that houses NIAR's Full-Scale Structural Testing and Aging Aircraft Laboratories. ASTEC is located at Hawker Beechcraft; however, research and testing for several aircraft manufacturers, government agencies and other organizations is performed at this facility. ASTEC houses nearly $10 million in reliable test equipment and access to an 8,000 foot runway.

ASTEC was made available to NIAR through an innovative arrangement with Hawker Beechcraft (formerly Raytheon Aircraft Company). The company was the launch customer for NIAR's Full-Scale Structural Testing Laboratory, and the NIAR research team will provide structural testing for Hawker Beechcraft's entire product range, including current work on Hawker Horizon fatigue and static tests.

The ASTEC facility allows NIAR to offer state-of-the art testing solutions at an affordable cost. And our research team is exceptionally qualified to do so, with more than 300 years of combined experience and the skills and expertise to solve problems that prove difficult even for the U.S. Air Force