Victoria at forefront of nation's aerospace industry push

Victoria’s aviation and aerospace sector has grown to include over 500 businesses as well as world-class research institutes and education providers.

Home to the largest number of aviation and aerospace companies in the country, Melbourne has been at the centre of both aircraft manufacturing and maintenance in Australia for over half a century.

The State’s strength in the sector is underpinned by a skilled workforce, including highly experienced design and engineering personnel, outstanding research & development capabilities and a broadly based advanced manufacturing industry supported by leading edge IT infrastructure.

Victoria’s aviation and aerospace sector exported over A$800 million in products and services in 2008-09; and employed more than 22,000 people at the close of 2009 .

Melbourne has an established aerospace precinct at Fisherman’s Bend in Port Melbourne consisting of manufacturers, design organisations, educational providers and research facilities, as well a growing aviation hub at Melbourne Airport and its surrounding precincts.

The State’s community of aerospace SMEs is already actively engaged in global aerospace supply chains, with niche capabilities in high-precision machining and tooling, as well as in composite components design and manufacture.

Many of the companies have been involved in such major international aerospace projects as the Airbus A380, the Boeing 787 and the Joint Strike Fighter.

 

MRO

More than 40 per cent of Australia’s civil aviation repair and overhaul activities take place in Melbourne; and, with two airports on extensive parcels of land, the city has the capacity to cater to an increasing market in both heavy and line maintenance activities to meet the needs of domestic and international operators.

Key MRO players already located in Melbourne include:

John Holland Aviation Services (JHAS): Australia’s independent third-party aircraft maintenance provider, JHAS caters for heavy aircraft types up to and including wide body aircraft. John Holland currently services both domestic and international airlines and provides total maintenance solutions. With significant in-house capabilities and renowned Original Equipment Manufacturers (Boeing) and major engine shop capabilities (Lufthansa Tecknik) located in close proximity, JHAS provides a cost effective and efficient turn time to its customers.

Qantas: With extensive maintenance facilities at both Melbourne and Avalon airports, Qantas caters for internal and third-party maintenance requirements out of Melbourne.

Virgin Tech: The Virgin Tech MRO facility located at Melbourne Airport undertakes scheduled and nonscheduled maintenance for Virgin Blue’s fleet of Boeing 737-700/800 and Embraer 190 aircraft.

LTQ Engineering: A partnership between Lufthansa Technik and Qantas, LTQ Engineering is an independent MRO provider located adjacent to Melbourne Airport. LTQ specialises in the repair and overhaul of jet engines and can conduct complete engine overhauls, modifications and repair activities with extensive support shop and test cell capability.

Honeywell Aerospace and Rockwell Collins: Together with a large collection of smaller firms these companies provide specialist maintenance support services to general aviation, commercial and military clients.

Melbourne is also home to a comprehensive range of part suppliers and ground support equipment suppliers which feed into the Australian airline industry.

Aerospace components

Melbourne is Australia’s centre of excellence for aerospace design, manufacture and testing. Supported by the state’s advanced manufacturing base, Victorian firms supply components, tools and services to the world’s prime aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, ESDA, Boeing, Eurocopter, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

A recent study by IBM Plant Location International illustrates that Melbourne provides a high quality operating environment at costs below most other top global locations.

The global competitiveness of local companies in the areas of aerostructures, precision machining, robotic systems, tooling and ground handling equipment is evident in their inclusion in international supply chains for the Boeing 787 and Joint Strike Fighter programs.

 

These companies include:

• Production Parts

• Aerostaff Australia

• Hofmann Metaltec

• Marand Precision Engineering

• Rosebank Engineering

• Lovitt Technologies

But there are other Victorian companies involved in that supply chain.

Victoria is a recognised global leader in composite material knowledge, technology and capability, which partners perfectly with the introduction of the Boeing 787 and Airbus A380 aircraft.

The Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures, located at Melbourne’s Fisherman’s Bend, works closely with industry to deliver advanced research in composite materials.

Also located at Fisherman’s Bend, Boeing Aerostructures is a Tier 1 supplier to the Boeing 787 program, manufacturing the new aircraft’s moveable trailing edges.

Boeing Australia Component Repair is also Melbourne-based, specialising in composite, sheet metal and metal bonded components repair and overhaul for both commercial and military aircraft.

Boeing’s recent decision to relocate its aerospace component manufacturing business from Sydney to Melbourne means Melbourne is now home to Boeing’s largest footprint outside the USA, with over 3000 staff.

 

Aviation and aerospace research & development

Melbourne has an excellent research and development base, with proven participation and success in global design projects.

Organisations that play a significant role in research and development in the industry include:

• The Australian Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AusAMRC), a collaborative venture between Boeing and Swinburne University, has been established to develop technology-driven solutions to ensure Australian suppliers are amongst the most innovative, competitive and capable in the world.

• The Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures (CRC-ACS) at Monash University brings together research providers and composites businesses to provide competitive technology for Australian industry. With a core staff of over 30 researchers, the CRC-ACS has built up a global reputation for composites research since its inception nearly 20 years ago.

• The Advanced Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (AMCRC) develops next generation technology platforms across numerous manufacturing sectors. Based at Swinburne University the AMCRC was established in 2008 with a $35 million government grant.

• Located at Fishermen’s Bend the Platform Sciences Laboratory of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation is Australia’s leading aeronautical research institute.

• The Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC), an $85 million facility was established in May 2008 to provide technology solutions to enable industry to enhance Australian defence capability

• The Sir Lawrence Wackett Aerospace Centre at RMIT University works towards the development of next generation aerospace technologies.

 

Aviation and aerospace training

Melbourne boasts Australia’s largest concentration of aviation and aerospace education and training facilities guaranteeing a steady pipeline of high calibre skilled labour ready to enter the workforce and adding to its reputation as an aviation hub.

Melbourne’s world-class universities and training institutions are accustomed to working with industry and private training providers to develop and deliver accredited training courses designed to respond to specific industry demands.

The Aviation Industry Training Centre at the Kangan Institute is the primary provider of apprenticeship training for the aviation industry for the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) - Mechanical, Avionics and Structures trades. The Kangan Institute is also the only CASA-recognised training organisation (RTO) in Victoria that can provide LAME training and the conversion training for B1 and B2 licensing.

RMIT University is a key provider in the Graduate Engineer - Aerospace discipline and has a number of recognised programs that are focused on Aviation Management. RMIT is also a provider of pilot training for both domestic and international students.

Swinburne University, in association with Oxford Aviation Academy is a major provider of pilot training for the Australian market and is involved in the delivery of academic studies for the Qantas Pilot Cadet program. Swinburne also delivers a number of targeted Aviation Management programs.

Monash University offers undergraduate and postgraduate engineering courses in electrical, materials, mechanical, mechatronics and computer systems engineering, including a specific combined degree in aerospace engineering.

East Gippsland Institute of TAFE works closely with industry and statutory authorities to ensure the aircraft maintenance training it provides meets industry standards and client needs.

 

Government support

Victoria has one of the world’s top five investment attraction and facilitation agencies: Invest Victoria.

Through Invest Victoria (www.investvictoria.com) and other agencies, the Victorian Government can:

• Identify available sites and assist with infrastructure and approvals

• Arrange itineraries and programs for company representatives to gather market information and make contacts in Melbourne and Victoria

• Provide information on market potential, companies, research and development capabilities, available skills and costs

• Put companies in touch with suitable local suppliers, service providers and partners

• Link companies into networks, grants and support programs they can utilise

• Potentially offer financial assistance to expand company operations in Victoria

• Provide ongoing support in Australia and in home markets to help companies maximise their potential in the Australian market and beyond.

The Victorian Government maintains a global network of 12 business offices through which Invest Victoria managers will work with companies in specific markets and time zones to tailor service packages that suit company needs.

Those global offices are located in the USA, the UK, Germany, the UAE, China, Japan, India and Malaysia.