Since signing the Jet Aircraft Support Contract in 2015 for ADF training support tasks including Aerial Target Towing, Air Affairs Australia has been experiencing a period of exponential growth.
Patrick Durrant | Sydney
Established in 1995, Air Affairs Australia (AAA), is a fully Australian owned aviation operations and engineering company based in Nowra, NSW. Since then it has become a leader in the provision of specialised airborne and engineering services, operating a fleet of special mission Learjet and Kingair aircraft, and providing specialised air training support services to the ADF.
Managing director Chris Sievers told ADM the company is looking forward to providing more services during a period of very high operational demand on Australian forces. Recently, in October last year, AAA was also awarded the Common Services Support (CSS) contract with the Commonwealth.
“Award of this long term contract will enable Air Affairs to further expand its aviation presence and provide employment for highly skilled technicians in regional NSW,” Sievers said, adding the company had already hired 35 additional employees as a result of the earlier Jet Aircraft Support Contract.
The CSS contract will require AAA to provide the Commonwealth with aviation life support equipment, non-destructive testing, logistics support, ground support equipment, aircraft battery support and helicopter corrosion control services as well as ad hoc workshop support.
“The majority of these services will be delivered from new purpose built facilities within our aviation precinct located at Albatross Aviation Technology Park in Yerriyong, NSW,” Sievers said.
Local content
In keeping with AAA’s philosophy to promote Australian Industry, it will be supported by two Australian subcontractors – Red Baron Aviation Life Support and BEAK Engineering (Aust).
“This has removed the risk of service disruption by maintaining local support networks while carefully choosing subcontractors with proven experience and performance in supporting the RAN for the applicable work scope,” Sievers added.
The Yerriyong facility, according to Sievers, provides a complete design through to manufacture and certification capability.
“It currently supports the manufacture and support for the MTR-101 Reeling Machine, AIRPOD 101 Utility Airborne Pod system and an array of airborne tow and drone target systems,” he said.
One of these target systems is the Phoenix Unmanned Aerial Target Drone, which was developed and manufactured by AAA and now provides an extremely cost effective unmanned target drone solution for the ADF.
With its extensive design and manufacturing capabilities, and as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for several products required for Defence operations, AAA supports maintenance and repair activities.
“We also provide design and development support directly to Navy Aviation System Program Office for repair schemes for obsolete parts, including development of new parts and development of installation designs for equipment to be fitted into RAN aircraft,” Sievers said.
“We’re also ISO 9001 Quality Certified, Australian Defence Security cleared and provide aircraft operations and maintenance under full CASA certification,” he said.
Civil ISR
Aside from the special missions to support ADF training, AAA’s Learjets and Kingair aircraft also fulfil other roles, including turn-key high altitude bushfire reconnaissance services.
The company recently secured a contract for provision of Airborne Strategic Intelligence and Reconnaissance (ASIR) services, for the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).
Air Affairs Learjets on the apron at the Albatross Aviation Technology Park, near Nowra, NSW. Credit: Air Affairs Australia
“The contract, negotiated through the National Aerial Firefighting Centre, provides for a total of four high altitude Learjet and Kingair aircraft configured with Infrared Line Scanning Systems and satellite communications equipment providing a full turn-key service primarily to the NSW and Victorian fire authorities,” Sievers said.
Through a more flexible aircraft utilisation arrangement, the aircraft will be accessible for support ASIR services to other fire authorities throughout Australia during bushfire emergencies.
Indeed, AAA has been providing ASIR services in Australia since 1994, and recently committed to developing and further enhancing the ASIR capability, specifically for bushfire and other emergency flight operations. With focus on systems developed for fast, high altitude platforms, the service uses multiple Learjets as primary response aircraft.
“Though Air Affairs have utilised Learjets previously for high altitude bushfire surveillance on a Call When Needed (CWN) basis, it is the first time a high performance jet aircraft has been used under contract for bushfire ASIR services in Australia,” Sievers said. “It is also the first time an ASIR capability has been provided to multiple states in Australia, under a sole service provider arrangement.”