WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The National Institute for Aviation Research is expanding its testing laboratories in Wichita. The Wichita Eagle reports that the aviation lab has made an agreement to lease 35,000 square feet of space in buildings that were abandoned by Boeing. Officials from Wichita State University, which the lab is a part of, made the announcement Thursday. The institute plans to relocate its Environmental Test and Electromagnetic Effects Lab to the new space next month, according to institute executive director John Tomblin. Developers believe that the deal may help lure airplane modification companies to Wichita since it will become one of the few places in the world where full electromagnetic testing can be done on an entire aircraft. A university official said that the lab may be able to do testing on large commercial and military aircraft.
