Marc Joel Atrero

In this section of the magazine, our contributors offer their thoughts and insights into industry issues that matter most to them. In this issue, Jake Nelson asks whether air taxis by the Brisbane Games are just pie in the sky, Steve Kuper cautions against junking Australia’s fleet of C-27J Spartans too early, and Robert Dougherty

As aviation and aerospace struggle to recruit new talent, and gender parity seems light years away, industry organisations like Aviation/Aerospace Australia are working with government and professionals to encourage more young people into the sector, as A/AA chief executive Anntonette Dailey tells Australian Aviation.

Essendon Fields Airport recently welcomed senior Textron Aviation representatives from Wichita, Kansas, for an exclusive first look at their new state-of-the-art aircraft maintenance hangar. The visit provided a rare behind-the-scenes opportunity to tour the completed 3,343sqm facility ahead of Textron Aviation formally commencing operations. The facility will become a major hub for maintenance, repair and

For over half a century, the silhouette of the Sikorsky VH-3D Sea King, with its distinctive white top and bulbous nose, has been the definitive visual shorthand for American executive power. But as of 28 April 2026, the era of the Sea King has officially drawn to a close.

At Rotortech, LifeFlight, one of Australia’s biggest aeromedical organisations and the largest operator of the Leonardo AW139, announced it was taking delivery of its 17th, bringing the total number of AW139s in Oceania to 80.

Rotortech 2026 wrapped up on the Gold Coast after a record-breaking week that reinforced the event’s standing as the Asia-Pacific’s leading gathering for the vertical flight and advanced air mobility sectors.