Aerospace Industry News

It will be of no news to members that the trends in modern defence equipment design are leading to new maintenance policies; policies which capitalise on increased inherent reliability and maintainability at the operating level. For many years avionic equipment has been of modular design which has allowed them to be repaired by module replacement. A similar design philosophy now exists in relation to mechanical equipment. Engines in particular are being designed in this way. Maintenance workloads are therefore diminishing.

Notwithstanding the trend, the RAAF continues to need help from Australian industry; particularly in regard to: (a) a maintenance support capability; (b) the manufacture of high usage spares (c) reclamation of worn parts using innovative and cost-effective repair schemes; and (d) development of modifications to achieve longer service life or improved capabilities. The local manufacture of spares is fundamental to Australia’s defence preparedness. But the RAAF must rely on industry to take the initiative to identify commercially promising projects. Naturally, the RAAF can offer guidance and help within its limited resources. The Defence Industry Development Division is also available to help with any plans members may find feasible to develop. However, members need to make their own commercial judgement as to which parts interest them as possible candidates for manufacture, repair or modification. To reiterate, while the scope for increased maintenance work is diminishing, the Directorate of Maintenance Policy encourages members to explore the viability of spares manufacture and spares reclamation.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Association took place in Canberra on Wednesday 16 September 1987. The Chairman of the Association (Mr Tim Anderson, Managing Director of British Aerospace Australia) in his report to the Association expressed his pleasure at the way the Association had grown in both membership and influence in the three years of its existence. It now truly is a body capable of representing the industry. He reminded members that the Association had its origins in an expressed desire by its founders to present a more cohesive image of Australian aerospace at international trade exhibitions. Originally, therefore, the representatives from companies were those with responsibilities for marketing or trade displays. He noted that, particularly over the last year, the Association was being called upon to provide more and more comment on policy issues. The development of the Aerospace Strategy within the Aerospace Industry Council and the subsequent need for inputs to papers designed to lead towards a package of Government measures to make the industry better able to meet its international competition, accelerated this change of emphasis for the Association.

A difference in the viewpoints held by the three groupings within the Aerospace Industry Council began to emerge. While Government, the employers and the Unions were united in their vision for the future of the industry, priorities for action and ways and means of achieving the goals and targets which had been set, differed. In this climate, the Association, a grouping of the companies in the industry, had to play a significant role. Mr Anderson said that it was important that the industry be seen as one which was prepared to help itself- one which was capable of coming up with initiatives, but one which was prepared to work with others who would benefit from these initiatives. There must be an equitable distribution of inputs, risks and rewards. The development and continued growth of the industry will benefit the nation, company shareholders and those working within the industry. It behoves all parties to play their part in its development.

To ensure that the AAAI was better able to meet the requirements likely to be placed upon it in the future, the Executive Committee decided to recommend that the Constitution of the Association be changed to allow the appointment of a Board of Governors, from Chief Executives of the companies in the Association, who could oversee and guide the work of the Executive Committee and the Executive Officer as they go about the day-to-day business of the Association. It would be of great benefit to the work of the Association if this could be carried out in the knowledge that the general thrust had been endorsed by the leaders of our industry Mr Anderson said.

Turning to membership, Mr Anderson noted that while there was a growth in the number of companies in the Association, this growth had slowed compared with previous years. There were 36 member companies at 1 July 1987, an increase of 4 over the figure of the previous year. A slowing down in growth was natural as the Association reached its maturity, but Mr Anderson stressed the importance of ensuring that new members, especially those in the space and software areas, continued to join so that the Association continued to be representative of all companies working in the industry.

Executive Committee

The following were elected to be Office Bearers for the Association in 1987/88.

Chairman: Mr Tim Anderson, British Aerospace Australia. Deputy Chairman: Peter Lister, HdH. Committeemen: Bill Baxter, Normalair-Garrett; Brian Lovelock, CSA; David Price, HdH; John Trippett, Trippett Allen & Assoc. ; Bob Tucker, AWA; Rick Young, Dunlop Aviation.