Avalon alight

“Good weather, a fantastic line up of aircraft on static display and in the flying program, along with all the celebrations associated with the RAAF 90th anniversary has contributed to an outstanding event,” said Airshow CEO Ian Honnery.

While the trade show might have been smaller than in recent years, there was still plenty of news to emerge from the airshow, especially around the Air 9000 Phase 8 naval combat helicopter, Air 5428 pilot training system and Air 9000 Phase 7 Helicopter Aircrew Training System defence procurement projects, and Australian industrial participation in the F-35 JSF program. On the civil side, business jets from Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Gulfstream and Hawker Beechcraft packed the hardstands. There were a number of Australian airshow debutants at Avalon, including Cessna’s Skycatcher LSA and Citation CJ4 business jet, the turbine Robinson R66, and the Piaggio Avanti II corporate turboprop.

The focal point of the RAAF’s 90th anniversary celebrations, Avalon also saw a very strong military aircraft presence, from examples of most types in the RAAF, RAN and Australian Army inventories, to a large US Air Force contingent spearheaded by two F-22 Raptors on static display (unfortunately due to illness the Pacific Air Forces’ F-22 display pilot was unavailable, leaving the F-22s ground bound). Singapore too had a strong presence, with for the first time an RSAF F-16 taking part in the flying display, while from the UK the RAF sent an E-3D Sentry.

Officially opened by Defence Minister Stephen Smith, other high profile Avalon visitors included Vice Admiral David Venlet, head of the JSF Program Office, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of JSF program Tom Burbage, and Boeing vice president, F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs, Kory Matthews.
The biennial airshow will again be staged again at Avalon Airport in March 2013, but in the meantime, the below is a comprehensive summary of the major news to come out of Australia’s major aviation event.

Marand to build F-35 vertical tails in $790m deal

BAE Systems and Marand signed a $790 million long term agreement for the supply of vertical tails for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Avalon, the largest and highest value Australian F-35 work package announced to date.

Victorian based Marand has worked closely with BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and the Victorian government to demonstrate its capabilities as a competitive supplier to the F-35 program. The company will be the in-country lead for the manufacture of 722 vertical tail fins, and will undertake final assembly of titanium components being machined by BAE Systems Australia in Adelaide.

“BAE Systems and Marand have worked together successfully on the F-35 for the past four years, including the last 18 months on the vertical tails,” said BAE Systems group managing director – international, Guy Griffiths. “This long term agreement will bring more work into Australia. It underscores not only our confidence in the F-35 program but also in our continuing relationship with Marand.

ExecuJet Australasia announces Essendon expansion

ExecuJet Australasia announced plans to expand its existing maintenance facility at Melbourne’s Essendon Airport.

ExecuJet’s current facility occupies a private hangar spanning over 2700m² in a secure hangar precinct at the airport, with the additional facility to add a further 755m² for a fixed base operation (FBO), with integrated lounge area, offices, stores and maintenance workshops. Construction is planned for completion in August.

“We have planned to take on a further six staff to run the new facility” stated Darren McGoldrick, managing director ExecuJet Australasia. “We will be operating a full service FBO, aircraft management and charter, as well as our existing maintenance capabilities.”

ExecuJet’s existing hangar accommodates two large and two midsize jets and the company currently employs a Melbourne workforce of 10 staff, consisting of maintenance engineers, aircrew and administrative staff.

GULFSTREAM SEES MORE DEMAND FOR BIG JETS

Gulfstream has brought an impressive lineup of a G150, G450 and G550 as well as another G450 being used for demonstration flights to Avalon, underlining the importance of the local market to the company.

The lineup underlined the importance of the Australian and New Zealand market for Gulfstream, which has tripled over the last ten years and interest in the range of aircraft remains strong.

As Gulfstream’s senior regional vice president international sales Roger Sperry pointed out, there is particular interest in the large cabin, long range aircraft in its lineup. “Our aeroplanes, in particular the ones we have today in the G450, G550 and the G650 which is in certification, lend themselves very well to this market simply because of the distances you have to travel to go anywhere,” said Sperry at Avalon.

That interest has been part of a wider growth in international business aviation, which last year saw Gulfstream sell more aircraft internationally than within the United States, which is the traditional home of business jets. In a break from tradition, Sperry notes that many companies buying the large cabin aircraft are also new to business aviation.

“Traditionally corporations will start off with a smaller airplane, then grow to a larger airplane and keep growing, whereas we’re seeing a lot right out of the chute going into the G450 and G550,” said Sperry.

Gulfstream is also using the Australian International Airshow to recognise its relationship with Melbourne based independent sales representative Gary Svenson of Svenson Management Services, which is now in its fifth year and looks set to grow as new aircraft enter the market over the coming years.

“Working with Gulfstream has been a tremendous opportunity for SMS Aircraft,” said Svensen. “We’re excited to recognise this milestone with Gulfstream, especially at this point in the company’s history, with the G250 and the G650 poised to enter the market in 2011 and 2012, respectively.”

Team Romeo Provides Adf Remanufacturing Detail

Principals of the ‘Team Romeo’ bid team for the ADF’s Air 9000 Phase 8 naval combat helicopter requirement at Avalon provided detail on their plans to offer a remanufacturing option for Australia’s existing H-60 series helicopters as part of its bid.

Sikorsky Aerospace Services’ director maritime and Asia strategies, Chris Clapperton, told media that the team would offer to remanufacture Army’s 34 Black hawk and Navy’s 16 Seahawk helicopters for resale on the international market as an option to its Phase 8 bid. Clapperton said the aim of the option is to create long term jobs in Australia, as the Black Hawk and Seahawk phase-out would be a prolonged one, and there was potential to expand the capability to include other H-60 series. Potential customers for a 10 tonne transport utility helicopter include military or restricted paramilitary public category services such as coast guards, police and other emergency services, or government scientific organisations.

The proposal will create up to 117 new jobs at Sikorsky Heliflite’s Brisbane facility including 56 specialised technicians, with more than 15,000 hours of work planned to be performed on each airframe to add 5000 hours of airframe fatigue life and 1000 hours of engine life to the aircraft through the installation of new wiring harnesses, enhanced avionics, a glass cockpit, and a complete overhaul of all dynamic components. It is estimated a remanufactured H-60 is worth about 50 per cent of a new build airframe.

Sikorsky said it would draw upon its extensive experience in remanufacturing S-61 (Sea King) airframes to a near new S-61T standard for the US State Department, as well as converting US Border Control and Colombian Air Force UH-60A Black Hawks to a UH-60L standard.

The bid team says an extensive market analysis was performed before the proposal was included in its bid, and that a business case exists to support the investment required to perform the work. It proposes that purchaser deposits and milestone payments will cover the remanufacturing program’s cash flow, that the aircraft would be provided as government furnished equipment (GFE), and that any profits would be shared between Sikorsky and the Commonwealth.

Industry opportunities are also expected to be offered to Australian companies, with Rockwell Collins Australia, Lovitt Technologies, Cablex, Production Parts, Ferra Engineering, Aero Plastics and the Varley Group already identified as potential suppliers into a global supply chain to support a remanufactured fleet.

Bae’s Smashing Success

BAE Systems announced the successful completion testing of modifications it has developed for the CT-4B Airtrainers it operates for the ADF’s Basic Flying Training School (BFTS) to allow them to meet contemporary civil certification crashworthy standards.

The modifications were a key element in BAE’s bid for the ADF’s Interim Basic Flying Training contract to provide flight screening and initial pilot training until a new pilot training system is introduced under the Air 5428 project later this decade.

“BAE Systems has understood the requirements of the ADF Airworthiness Authority and delivered a set of modifications that will bring the CT-4B aircraft to the contemporary standard,” said John Quaife, general manager aviation solutions.

The modifications include a new seat design that absorbs greater dynamic loads in a crash situation, BAE Systems says. They were developed in partnership with Aeronautical Engineers Australia (AEA), with dynamic testing of the new seat taking place at the Autoliv Australia Test Centre in Victoria in late February.

The complex test program involved several test runs of a modified CT-4B fuselage along a test track, occupied by a heavily instrumented Hybrid-III anthropometric test dummy, to demonstrate that the loads sustained by an occupant in a simulated crash met the latest regulatory requirements.
The successful completion of the testing will now see BAE Systems and AEA work with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to achieve a supplemental type certificate for the CT-4B to meet FAR Part 23 crash protection requirements.

Bombardier’s Big Bizjet Presence

Leading corporate aviation manufacturer Bombardier used its significant Avalon presence to help it to build on its strong market position in Australia.

Bombardier had three aircraft on static display at Avalon, a Learjet 60XR demonstrator and customer owned Challenger 604 and Gobal 5000 jets. They are representative of Bombardier’s 43 strong bizjet fleet in Australia, ranging from Lears of various models to the Challenger series (including the three 604s operated by the RAAF) and the ultra-long range Global series, of which no fewer than 15 are in country.

“We can be satisfied with that,” said Christophe Chicandard, sales director southeast Asia and Pacific for Bombardier Business Aircraft, of Bombadier’s market position in Australia.

A focus of Chicandard’s time at Avalon is to discuss with potential customers Bombardiers new Global 7000 and 8000 family, which with their 7300nm and 7900nm range capabilities, respectively, are of great interest to Australian operators, with the 8000 able to operate nonstop between the US west coast and Melbourne.

“You can’t differentiate range from comfort,” Chicandard said of the critical issue in designing the 7000 and 8000. “You really have to match the two.”
Already, unidentified Australian customers have ordered one Global 7000 and one Global 8000.

AIR 5428 teaming formalised

Raytheon Australia, BAE Systems Australia and Hawker Beechcraft formalised their teaming announcement for the ADF’s Air 5428 Pilot Training System bid at Avalon.

The team will base their bid around the Hawker Beechcraft T-6C, an international version of the T-6B currently in service with the USAF and US Navy. Raytheon Australia will provide through life support to the aircraft and its systems in RAAF service, while BAE Systems will provide the training systems, courseware and ground instructors.

The teaming arrangement was signed at Avalon by CEO of BAE Systems Australia, Jim McDowell, the MD of Raytheon Australia Michael Ward, and Russ Bartlett, director of US and international government business from Hawker Beechcraft.

Ga10 On Track For 2013 Debut

GippsAero announced at Avalon that plans to launch its long-mooted GA10 turbine utility aircraft are well underway, with the first prototype expected to fly later this year.

The 10-seat GA10 will retain many of the features of the eight-seat GA8 Airvan, but will be powered by a Rolls-Royce 250 B17F2 turboprop engine.
“Our goal is to retain the successful GA8 design and to use current production parts to provide a strong support solution across the globe” said GippsAero’s engineering manager Gerhard Jordaan.

The first metal cuts for the prototype GA10 was expected in March, ahead of a first flight planned for October. The aircraft is planned for certification to FAR Part 23 in 2012, ahead of the public debut of the first GA10 at the 2013 Avalon Airshow.

Aeromil To Open Flying School

Cessna agent Aeromil Pacific announced that it has submitted plans to Cessna to open its own flying school which will be aimed at serving potential Cessna buyers.

The decision to start the flying school came after the company recently displayed an aircraft in the Sydney CBD, which resulted in a number of enquiries relating to flight training by a number of young professionals.

“Whilst we could farm them out to flying schools, we felt that there was a distinct lack of new equipment around and these guys wanted the latest generation equipment such as the Garmin 1000 [avionics suite] in the 172, so that led us to start thinking about doing something,” managing director Steve Padgett explained at Avalon.

Subject to CASA approval, it is expected that the school will be operating later this year, initially from Aeromil’s hangar at Bankstown Airport, while it will also establish a flight training school at its headquarters in the Sunshine Coast. Initially the school will use an unspecified number of Cessna 172s and 162s, and will focus exclusively on training private individuals using courseware adapted from the Cessna Flying Centres in the US.

Aeromil displayed the new Model 162 Skycatcher single piston (the first on the Australian register, and the first to be exported) and Citation CJ4 business jet at Avalon.

Piper Appoints Local Sales Agent

Piper Aircraft Company has appointed Piper Australia Aircraft Sales as its Australian sales agent, the manufacturer announced at Avalon.
Piper Australia Aircraft Sales is an associate company of Moorabbin Flying Services, which already operates an all-Piper fleet of aircraft, primarily in flight training operations.

“We have chosen one of the best and most experienced Piper flying organisations in Australia to be our new aircraft sales agent on this great continent,“ said Jackie Carlon, Piper Aircraft’s director of marketing. “As we expand our global visibility it will be a great help that Piper Australia Aircraft Sales knows our airplanes inside and out. We are thrilled to be collaborating with such an excellent company at one of the largest aviation venues in the southern hemisphere.”

Piper Australia Aircraft Sales exhibited three Piper aircraft at the airshow – a Matrix, Warrior and Seminole.

Raaf Heron At Avalon

The RAAF displayed its new Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) for the first time at Avalon.

The one-tonne unmanned aircraft is capable of medium altitude, long endurance reconnaissance flights and has been on display at Avalon over the course of the airshow trade days March 1 to 4.

The Heron, which is operated under a lease arrangement from Canadian firm MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, has been flying combat operations in Afghanistan since January 2010. The RAAF’s Amberley based 5 Flight are the current operators of the Heron, responsible for the selection, force preparation and operational Heron flying training of RPA operators and support personnel before they deploy on coalition operations in Afghanistan.

Equipped with a number of infrared and optical sensors, the Heron can fly for up to 24 hours with a maximum range of 250km. This allows the Heron to download real time video imagery that can viewed by Australian soldiers in a high threat, mission critical combat environment. The new capability represents the forefront of the RAAF’s evolution to an integrated and network centric force. “This imagery can give our ground commanders a comprehensive understanding of the situation around them during both day and night,” 5FLT’s WGCDR Lyle Holt said.

“We continue to learn lessons on how we can best support the guys on the ground in Afghanistan. And during the last 12 months and 3600 flying hours, our training and documentation was evolving to apply those lessons.

“Our RPA capability is about helping to save the lives of our soldiers, our Coalition partners and the Afghan population.

The Heron on display at Avalon was due to operate in Australia for the first time later in March when 5FLT takes it to the Woomera Test Facility to conduct flight training for the next detachment of Heron operators.

Alliance Airlines ‘Takes Off’ With Flyfokker

Alliance Airlines has signed on as the Asia Pacific partner in Fokker Services’ ‘FLYFokker Take Off’ program, which is aimed at expanding the number of Fokker operators in the region.

Under the agreement, Alliance Airlines will provide Fokker 100 jets and Fokker 50 turboprops on wet-lease to startup airlines in the Southeast Asia region, prior to establishing their own operating capability and acquiring their own Fokker aircraft. The agreement mirrors a similar one with Dutch carrier DenimAir which was launched in 2009 at the Dubai Air Show which covers Europe and North Africa.

“We’ve been working together with Alliance for a number of years already, and we are happy that we have found such a reliable partner for this program in this region,” said Fokker Services VP of marketing and sales Erik Goedhart.

“This agreement allows us within six weeks of signing an agreement with an operator we can have them up and running with the F100 or F50,” said Alliance Airlines’ managing director Scott McMillan. “That would be traditionally a fairly short-term arrangement from three months through to 18 months whilst the operator develops their own capability and acquires their own aircraft.”

Fokker Services is expected to target the Take Off package at groups interested in starting regional airlines in countries such as Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos where it believes there is great potential.

Alliance Airlines is the largest operator of Fokker aircraft in Australia, with a fleet of 21 aircraft which are used on resource charters and other wet-lease operations. Alliance also has experience in assisting other operators to take on Fokker aircraft, having assisted Skywest and Air Niugini to introduce Fokker 100s in previous years.

Lockmart Looks For Australian Suppliers

Lockheed Martin has issued an RFI to Australian manufacturers to become second source suppliers of weapons pylons for the Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin MH-60R ‘Romeo’ naval helicopter.

The call comes after the company signed a global supply agreement with the federal government in January. “Growth in orders for the MH-60R has resulted in an urgent need for an expanded supply base, and Australian industry has a depth of capability that would be an ideal supplement to our dedicated supplier base,” Lockheed Martin’s naval helicopter program head, George Barton said.

The pylons are mounted on both sides of the helicopter’s lower fuselage, and carry Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, torpedoes, and auxiliary fuel tanks.

Execujet To Support Australian Phenoms

Execujet Australia has extended its capabilities to provide enhanced maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to operators of Embraer Phenom 100 business jets, the two companies announced at Avalon.

The addition of Phenom MRO capabilities for Execujet is in addition to its existing support for Legacy 600 and Legacy 650 customers in Australia.
MRO support for the Phenom will be available from Execujet’s facilities in Sydney and Melbourne.

Levett Signs $50 Million F135 Deal With P&w

Adelaide based engineering firm Levett Engineering on Tuesday signed a parts support agreement with F135 engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.
The deal, worth a potential $50 million over the life of the program, will see Levett manufacture key F135 engine components including titanium brackets and mounts for the F135 actuators.

“Levett Engineering continues to be a valuable partner in our global supply chain for the F135 engine,” Pratt &Whitney F135/F119 Engine Programs vice president Bennett Croswell said.

“They have consistently delivered affordable, high-quality components for the F135 engine program and our customers, and we are delighted to extend our working relationship.”

Levett’s agreement with P&W follows on from a previous purchase order and follow-on work agreement made during 2008’s Farnborough Airshow to manufacture second and third-stage turbine vane transfer tubes, and covers all three variants of the F135 engine (CTOL, CV and STOVL).

Meanwhile, Pratt &Whitney has received its first shipment of critical F135 engine tooling from NSW based Broens Industries. Broens’ ground support equipment tooling will include provisions for the removal and installation of the F135 engine gearbox.

Piaggio debuts

Italian manufacturer Piaggio Aero has been pleased with the interest in the P.180 Avanti II twin turboprop, which is being displayed for the first time at Avalon, following sales tours and an evaluation with the RFDS last year.

“We’ve got a number of prospects that we’re talking to, and it has been a good opportunity to meet them and take them through the aircraft as opposed to talking about it virtually,” said Piaggio’s chief marketing officer John Bingham.

The uniquely shaped Avanti is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66 turboprops in a pusher configuration, and is the fastest turboprop in the world with a maximum speed of 402kts and a range of 1400nm.

“We’ve got a good broad appeal from a cross-section of existing aircraft owners, people who are looking at aircraft and some commercial users as well.”

“Just like in other markets, people who have been interested in the aircraft are people who have King Airs, Citations and Phenom 300s, and that’s really where the class is.”

Locally, Piaggio is being represented by John Alp, while it is also in talks with potential service and spares partners ahead of the first delivery of an Avanti.

Varley Wins More Jsf Work

Newcastle, NSW based GH Varley has been awarded more work from Lockheed Martin for the F-35 JSF program.

The work, which falls under the LRIP 4 contract which was signed last year, will see Varley produce 14 more canopy sling assemblies to add to the 15 it has already delivered. These assemblies are used for overhead hoisting and the support of aircraft canopies during manufacture and maintenance.
Varley is also confident of gaining another contract for 10 more landing gear handling systems (LGHS) to add to the seven units it has already produced. The LGHS is used to support a landing gear assembly during manufacture and maintenance, and is constructed from stainless steel and aluminium.

The company has impressed Australia’s New Air Combat Capability (NACC) office by its persistence in bidding for work. Despite being unsuccessful in two previous tenders, Varley requested debriefs from Lockheed Martin and was able to improve its bid processes accordingly.
GH Varley employs about 500 people at its sites at Tomago near Newcastle, Brisbane and Clayton in Victoria.

T-6 On Tour

Avalon was a focal point of a five-week demonstration tour of Australian military training bases of the Hawker Beechcraft T-6C Texan trainer.
Partnering with Raytheon Australia and BAE Systems Australia in offering the aircraft to the ADF, Hawker’s T-6C variant builds upon Beechcraft’s original T-6, with an integrated glass cockpit encompassing an advanced Esterline CMC Cockpit 4000 avionics suite. All systems are integrated with a Hands-On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS), providing the student pilot and instructor with a simpler interface to the digital cockpit.

The demonstration tour, which also saw the debut of the T-6C Aerobatic Demonstration at Avalon, was due to include stops to ADF flight schools around the country, including RAAF Base Williamtown, Tamworth, East Sale, Pearce and ADF HQ in Canberra.

Avalon briefs

* Northrop Grumman will provide its Expeditionary Tactical Automated Security System (or ExTASS) for RAAF C-17s under a contract awarded by the Defence Materiel Organisation.

ExTASS is an open architecture command and control platform for the integration of force protection sensors. The RAAF will use ExTASS to protects its C-17s during expeditionary operations at home in Australia.

* Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) has announced that the Hawker 4000 has received certification from CASA, opening the way for the aircraft to be delivered to local customers. The composite fuselage Hawker 4000 has a range of 3280nm and can cruise at speeds up to Mach 0.84.

* Hawker Pacific announced the delivery of the first Beechcraft King Air 350C to the Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS), as part of an agreement that will see five aircraft delivered. Operating under contract to the Air Ambulance Service New South Wales (AASNSW), the RFDS South Eastern Section will eventually take delivery of two King Air 350Cs and three B200C aircraft. The 350C variants delivered to the RFDS will also feature ex-factory cargo doors and various aeromedical modifications to customise the aircraft for its intended use.

* Sikorsky Aircraft has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Melbourne based aviation searchlight manufacturer Trakka Corp at Avalon to jointly explore manufacturing opportunities in support of H-60 Seahawk and Black Hawk helicopters.