Young students take flight in Gosport with hands-on experience of airborne 'rescue mission'
Unique classroom stops off at StandardAero en route from Ireland to Belgium and Italy
A unique, state-of-the-art educational experience allowed students to take flight by turning classroom theory into an exciting hands-on ‘rescue mission’.
Schools were invited to send children to the Mobile Newton Room when it took up temporary residence at StandardAero’s home in Fleetlands, Gosport. Designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world , the initiative offered students aged 13–16 an introduction to science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
The project was the result of a high-profile collaboration between StandardAero, Boeing and the not-for-profit foundation FIRST Scandinavia. It was a major coup for Gosport to base the room in town for two weeks, having arrived straight from Dublin in Ireland before heading off to Brussels in Belgium and Rome in Italy.
By offering students a rare chance to engage with cutting-edge technology and real-world problem-solving, the Mobile Newton Room aims to make a lasting impact on how they perceive and apply STEM subjects.
‘Up in the Air with Numbers’
At the heart of the project was a specialised learning module titled ‘Up in the Air with Numbers.’ During this immersive experience, students assumed the role of navigators responding to a simulated mission from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC). Working in pairs or small crews, students had to calculate distance, speed, and time to plan flight paths for rescue operations. The activity culminated in students entering advanced flight simulators to execute their flight plans, observe target locations, and prepare vital reports - a task designed to test their mathematical precision under pressure.
Simon Jones, StandardAero Managing Director UK, said: “We are proud to host the Mobile Newton Room on our UK site in Gosport and give young people a unique and hands-on opportunity to explore the aviation sector. Working closely with Boeing, First Scandinavia and our local schools’ network, we will engage as many students as possible with a single goal – inspiring the next generation to pursue a career in aviation, including the StandardAero apprenticeship programme.”
As part of the launch Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage, Mayor of Gosport Kirsten Bradley and Sir Jeremy Quin, new president of Boeing UK and Ireland, had a chance to watch the students in action.
CEO and founder of FIRST Scandinavia Per-Arild Konradsen told The News: ‘We have created the Newton concept and are happy to be in Gosport. Schools all over Europe are so theoretical so we created this project which focuses on practical learning linked to the curriculum so the students can see not only theory, but practical activities in the real world. The feedback from students has been fantastic and that is very heart-warming because it is still schooling and teaching - but in a different way.’
Permanent Newton rooms are based in 13 countries and Mr Konradsen added that he would like to see 50-60 in the UK. ‘Coming to Gosport was just the start!’