STUDENTS at Newcastle Airport are preparing for two gruelling years of training.
Twenty eight trainees will be put through their paces on a Boeing 737 jet, practice rigs and computer simulation to become licensed engineers.
Many of the students have come through the Newcastle College national diploma scheme.
The two-year foundation degree in aircraft maintenance engineering, provided by Kingston University, is combined with a JAR 66 technical course from the City of Bristol College, one of only three Civil Aviation Authority-approved providers in the UK.
Jeff Watson, head of the academy, said: "We are in a unique position to be able to offer this prestigious course and it certainly enhances Newcastle Airport's standing in UK aviation as a whole."
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