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The inaugural Australian Aviation Awards are a platform for smaller businesses who may not otherwise have mechanisms to reward their achievements, according to Lockheed Martin Australia.
The Australian Aviation Awards, sponsored by principal partner the University of New South Wales (UNSW), will take place on Thursday 1 September 2022.
The awards program includes 24 individual and company categories that will celebrate the hard work, dedication, and resilience of the aviation industry amid a turbulent and challenging few years during the coronavirus pandemic.
Submissions are peer-reviewed by a panel of trusted and well-respected judges.
Nominations and submissions will close on Thursday 30 June 2022.
Lockheed Martin Australia was the recipient of the Aerospace Business of the Year award at the 2021 Australian Defence Industry Awards (hosted by our sister brand Defence Connect), and a finalist in the Manufacturer of the Year and Prime Contractor of the Year award categories.
Program manager Andrew Doyle underscored that award programs such as the Australian Aviation Awards provides recognition for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) who may not necessarily have the resources to offer similar reward mechanisms.
“The thing that really impresses me about the Australian Aviation Awards is its ability to provide that platform and recognition for Australian SMEs,” Doyle said.
The Australian Aviation Awards program offers a number of categories for SMEs as all company categories are open to all businesses irrespective of size, revenue, or geographic locations.
“We’re really pleased that there’s a large number of categories that support SMEs and the very bright and talented individuals that are working in the aviation industry across Australia,” Doyle said.
F-35 fighter jet program
Lockheed Martin Australia was crowned as Aerospace Business of the Year for its contribution to the defence and aerospace industries, particularly through the F-35 air combat program, as well as other programs including the C-130J Hercules, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pilot Training, and MH-60R Seahawk.
The company employs over 1,400 staff, with half of those involved in aerospace-related programs. Lockheed Martin works with the RAAF as the F-35 program industry leader and original equipment manufacturer in Australia.
“2020 was a massive year for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program,” Doyle explained.
“During 2020, the RAAF more than doubled the size of its F-35 fleet in Australia, adding 20 aircraft, which brought with it a commensurate increase in the Lockheed Martin sustainment organisation that we have in Australia.
“We have an excellent team of very bright men and women who provide a range of technical and logistics services, and training and information systems support services to the F-35.”
According to Doyle, Lockheed Martin employs more than 150 people on the F-35 program in Australia, while the program supports an additional 3,000 production and sustainment roles in Australia across a network of industry partners and STEM organisations.
Get a jump start on the awards
Winning the award and qualifying as a finalist in two additional categories provided strong external recognition for the company’s team, he added.
“Having the external recognition of peer organisations and from the eminent members of the judging panel boosted our profile,” Doyle said.
As such, he encouraged all companies and individuals in the aviation industry to participate in the awards and commence their nomination and submissions process early.
“Make sure you consult widely before writing your submission,” Doyle advised.
In their submission, Lockheed Martin Australia included “broad vignettes” and case studies that highlighted their achievements, as well as supporting documents such as internal and external media releases by independent parties.
“That built up a richer context beyond the content of the written submissions,” Doyle said.
“With our awards, we tried to draw upon a national level endeavour and multiple programs across the company, so it was as much a team effort to compile the award submission as it was to undertake the underlying work itself that led to the award win.”
Doyle concluded that the Australian Aviation Awards ceremony is a prime opportunity for the industry to network and connect with their peers.
The Australian Aviation Awards program includes a range of individual and group awards for airlines, airports, support businesses, pilots, engineers, rotary businesses, industry associations, and female aviation leaders.
To enter the awards, visit the website below to register, download the category criteria, follow the criteria and submit an entry. Finally, simply save and confirm your submission.
Submissions will close on Thursday, 30 June 2022, with the gala event set to take place in-person on Thursday 1 September 2022 at 7pm at The Star in Sydney.
Click here to submit an entry or nominate a worthy colleague for a chance to celebrate your successes and walk home with a trophy.
For more information about the awards program, including categories and judging process, click here.
