Aviation is infrastructure too

It must be remembered that the upcoming Aviation White Paper will be mostly a policy document and may have little detail on proposed government aviation spending. Given the signals coming out of Infrastructure Australia it would appear that government spending on aviation has a low priority, even not on the radar.

All of us within the industry must try to change this perception. In air traffic management (ATM) alone there are emerging surveillance and approach technologies that will save the industry millions in more efficient tracking, closer separation limits and less need to divert to alternates. Given that these technologies are already operating in other parts of the world, it is always in Australia’s strategic and economic interest to continue to develop and offer world class ATM services.

Australia’s has excellent research and development talent, and could make further inroads in emerging technologies such as bio-fuels, avionics and airframe composites to name just a few. Recently a team of young scientists from Brisbane won first prize at the Paris Airshow for their work using plant materials to fabricate aircraft interiors. A great result and well done.

Brazil has hauled itself into aviation’s first rank by a committed private and government effort over thirty years. Australia can achieve the same in half the time with the correct policy settings and incentives to develop our best aerospace talent.

Air freight is undergoing a revolution with many old types being retired and new super freighters coming onto the international market. With economies of scale and even larger platforms in the future it is not inconceivable that air freight will challenge traditional sea and road freight over the next fifty years.

Regional aviation is preparing itself for strong demand once China and India return to high growth rates. The need to replace older types is an ongoing challenge with no pressurised regional airliner carrying less than fifty passengers currently in production. The new larger regional airliners from Embraer, Bombardier and ATR are meeting demand at the top end of the market but this leaves a new product gap in the 10-49 seat area. Metros, Brasilias and Jetstream 41s are doing sterling service in the regional market’s mid-range but are replacements on the drawing boards? Is this a niche market that Australian aerospace might want to investigate?

Regions such as the North-West, the Pilbara, the Top End and SA’s far north are hotbeds of mineral exploration, mining and oil/gas refining. Existing towns will grow further and new communities will be built. It may not seem so in the middle of recession but Australia’s ongoing regional development is inevitable with even modest demand growth across Asia. Do we have the plans to ensure that the aviation infrastructure is in place to service these developing regional communities? This needs to be a central question for the government in its White Paper development.

I have mentioned it before but the 10th RAAA Convention is being held at the Hyatt Coolum from September 30-2 October 2009. Come along and have your say. Meet many of the leaders in regional aviation. This is chance for all of us to share our best ideas and steer regional aviation’s future.