Story ID: 
NIAR Partners with Bombardier on Learjet 85
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: Bombardier Aerospace has tapped the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University to provide material and structural testing 
Word Count: 174
Bombardier Aerospace has tapped the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University to provide material and structural testing and certification for the new Learjet 85. NIAR will be involved in FAA certification of the all-composite midsize twinjet, ranging from small coupon sample testing to structural certification of full-scale components. The move comes roughly five months after Bombardier terminated its contract for composite structures work with Grob Aerospace, which filed for insolvency in the fall. NIAR’s composite expertise will help Bombardier to complete the detail design and manufacturing of all primary and secondary structures for the Learjet 85 without Grob. The Composites and Advanced Materials Laboratory at NIAR specializes in developing low-cost manufacturing processes while providing thermal, mechanical and analysis tools. As the lead institution in the FAA’s Center of Excellence for Composites and Advanced Materials, NIAR performs a large majority of the FAA’s composite research and has worked with numerous aircraft manufacturers to develop composite materials. NIAR is also the headquarters for the NASA National Center for Advanced Materials Performance.