Aerospace Industry News

The members of the Association have a wide range of skills and considerable managerial expertise. They are experienced in working in international partnerships either as subcontractors, as risk sharing partners or indeed, on occasions, as prime contractors – with some of the world’s leading aerospace companies as subcontractors.

The Australian aerospace industry wishes to use its skills and expertise tor the benefit of others and to share its experiences in various projects, over a number of years and in a variety of circumstances. In particular, it sees the formation of regional industrial alliances as a way of ensuring that the increase in aviation activity, which is predicted for the Asia/Pacific area, spawns real benefits for aerospace companies in the region.

Australian Government representatives from both the Federal and State levels, together with Australian industry representatives, attended Asian Aerospace to discuss business opportunities and proposals with anybody who wished to explore matters more thoroughly.

Whether the business was in the repair and overhaul of aircraft engines or airframe components- or the complete overhaul and upgrading of passenger aircraft, the manufacture of sophisticated equipment system integration and testing, project or programme management, establishment of engineering facilities, training, simulation or whatever it may be, the Australian aerospace industry has something to offer.

The Australian involvement was project managed by Brian Usback of Austrade. The Department of Defence, DITAC, the NSW Department of Business and Consumer Affairs, Victorian Department of Industry, Technology and Resources, the South Australian Department of State Development and Technology and the Queensland Department of Industry Development represented the public sector and those companies who could not represent themselves but whose capabilities were in demand or of interest. AerospaceTechnologies of Australia, British Aerospace Australia, interscan, Ansett Industries, Ansett Technologies, Hawker de Havilland, Tyson Industries, Aircraft Equipment Overhauls and Sales, Callington Haven, Stafford Moor & Farrington, The Preston Group, Normalair-Garret Australia, Redtlex Systems and BH Pacific were on the Australian stand whilst Lucas Aerospace, Hawker Pacific and Qantas had stands nearby. All told the Australian participation represented an array of capabilities, capacities and products which illustrated the breadth and competence of the Australian industry.

The RAAF contributed by displaying two of its aircraft in the static display- an F-18 and a PC-9. A Boeing 707 was tasked to support the RAAF participation plus carrying Australian military officers and Defence officials to the exhibition. A dual F-18 also operated from Paya Lebar with flights for senior military officers of a number of regional nations visiting Singapore tor Asian Aerospace.

The Australian High Commissioner in Singapore also hosted a function at the High Commission at which Australian speakers were able to expand on their ideas tor regional cooperation in aerospace.

Australia had hosted a Regional Conference on Defence Cooperation in Adelaide in May 1989 at which various speakers had proposed increased regional cooperation in the repair and overhaul of military aircraft and associated equipment. Since then, the ideas put forward at that conference had been examined and expanded to include more than just military collaboration. The AAAI considered that it was appropriate that the ideas be further expanded and discussed during Asian Aerospace and the High Commissioner generously agreed to host a short seminar.

This provided a venue for the Chief of the Air Staff- RAAF (Air Marshal Ray Funnell) to explain his views on the use of air power in the region. He was followed by Major General John Grey, Chief of Logistics in the Department of Defence who discussed possibilities for regional collaboration in Defence logistics and Peter Smith, Commercial Director of Hawker de Havilland who spoke about possibilities for collaboration between aerospace companies. Then Dr Bruce Middleton, Executive Director of the Australian Space Office spoke about potential for regional collaboration in the space sector. The discussion was then made more general with many excellent ideas coming forward tor further discussion and action by interested groups from the Asia Pacific region.

NATIONAL AEROSPACE INDUSTRY TRAINING PROJECT

Good progress is reported in efforts to get underway the new National Aerospace Industry Training Project. A tripartite industry run body is to be established whose responsibilities on behalf of the Australian aerospace industry will include:

• establishing national training standards, assessment practices and accreditation procedures;

• reviewing and evaluating existing training programmes;

• undertaking background research and data collection on training matters;

• coordinating the development and delivery of training programmes;

• providing a mechanism for ongoing liaison between the industry, training providers and various government bodies at both the Federal and State levels with aerospace training inter ests; and

• identifying resource requirements.

• It is expected that this aerospace-related b9dy will maintain close linkages with those responsible for the National Metal and Engineering Training and Career Development Project. Funding for the project is expected to be made available in the ratio 50% from the Federal Department of Education, Employment and Training and 50% from industry sources.