The coastal town of Prestwick is Scotland's oldest baronial burgh, dating back over a thousand years. Located in the South-West, the history of this small Ayrshire town can also be considered the history of Scotland in flight, as the fortunes of the town and Scottish Aviation have gone hand in had since the beginning of the 20th Century, with the aviation industry providing many forms of employment over the years. Spirit AeroSystems’ Prestwick-based site has a long aviation history which started in 1936 with the opening of the Scottish Aviation Elementary Flying Training School. The original factory building, which still exists today, was formerly the Palace of Engineering at the 1938 Empire Exhibition, Glasgow, which was dismantled and reconstructed at Prestwick.