HERVEY BAY SEABIRD SEEKS WORLD-WIDE MARKET FOR SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT
Published Tuesday, 20 March, 2007 at 12:00 PM
Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations
The Honourable John Mickel
A Hervey Bay aircraft manufacturer plans to use a State Government grant to enable its specialist surveillance aircraft, the Seeker, to reach wider world markets.
Minister for State Development John Mickel who is in Melbourne with a Queensland delegation at the Avalon Air Show said Seabird Aviation Australia (SAA) had been awarded a $50,000 Queensland Industry Development Scheme grant to conduct ice and noise testing to enable an extension of the existing American FAA Type Certification.
“The company’s trademark Seeker SB7L-360A is in use around the world and was recently selected as the first aircraft of the new Iraqi Air Force,” the Minister said.
“The company identified a niche market of aerial observation that was not being addressed by existing fixed-wing aircraft manufacturers and invested more than $10 million in design, development and certification of the aircraft that provides cost effective surveillance including timely reporting of potential terrorist threats.”
The Seeker’s typical operating environment is at low-altitude, flying close to obstacles, in turbulence, for protracted flight durations.
Features include high crew visibility, safety and comfort, crisp manoeuvrability with stability at low speeds, forgiving stall behaviour and low-fatigue handling.
“This grant is expected to result in new markets being opened – particularly in the United States – and many new aircraft being built at Seabird Aviation Australia’s international research and development base and Australian production facility at Hervey Bay,” Mr Mickel said.
The facility’s 21 staff is expected to grow to more than 30 CAD draftsmen, aircraft welders, sheet metal workers, fibreglass mould and parts fabricators, electrical and avionics technicians.
Seabird Aviation’s Managing Director Peter Adams said that Seabird Aviation Australia’s Joint Venture Company Seabird Aviation America (SAAM) now has a demonstration Seeker – shipped from Hervey Bay – flying in the US.
“This Seeker is based at SAAM’s New Mexico headquarters and will feature in air shows and trade fairs across the country,” he said.
“The US would be a great market for us to crack and really build our international credibility and with such strong support from the State Government we feel very confident this will be a very successful move for us.”
India and South Africa Regulatory Authorities have also accepted the Seeker for operation in their countries. One of India’s larger industrial companies has just been appointed distributor for the Seeker in that region.
A Seeker will be demonstrated at the Avalon Air Show.
Previously Seabird Aviation Australia received Queensland Industry Development Scheme grants of $19,125 to improve quality assurance procedures and $24,945 towards an investment brief.
In 2005 the company won a Queensland Government Wide Bay Burnett Region Emerging Exporter of the Year Award as well as a Highly Commended in the Manufacturing category of the awards. In 2006 it was winner of the Small Business award.
Company Contact: Seabird Aviation Australia, Mr Peter Adams (Managing Director) 4125 3144; www.seabirdaviation.com.au
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
20 March, 2007
Minister for State Development John Mickel who is in Melbourne with a Queensland delegation at the Avalon Air Show said Seabird Aviation Australia (SAA) had been awarded a $50,000 Queensland Industry Development Scheme grant to conduct ice and noise testing to enable an extension of the existing American FAA Type Certification.
“The company’s trademark Seeker SB7L-360A is in use around the world and was recently selected as the first aircraft of the new Iraqi Air Force,” the Minister said.
“The company identified a niche market of aerial observation that was not being addressed by existing fixed-wing aircraft manufacturers and invested more than $10 million in design, development and certification of the aircraft that provides cost effective surveillance including timely reporting of potential terrorist threats.”
The Seeker’s typical operating environment is at low-altitude, flying close to obstacles, in turbulence, for protracted flight durations.
Features include high crew visibility, safety and comfort, crisp manoeuvrability with stability at low speeds, forgiving stall behaviour and low-fatigue handling.
“This grant is expected to result in new markets being opened – particularly in the United States – and many new aircraft being built at Seabird Aviation Australia’s international research and development base and Australian production facility at Hervey Bay,” Mr Mickel said.
The facility’s 21 staff is expected to grow to more than 30 CAD draftsmen, aircraft welders, sheet metal workers, fibreglass mould and parts fabricators, electrical and avionics technicians.
Seabird Aviation’s Managing Director Peter Adams said that Seabird Aviation Australia’s Joint Venture Company Seabird Aviation America (SAAM) now has a demonstration Seeker – shipped from Hervey Bay – flying in the US.
“This Seeker is based at SAAM’s New Mexico headquarters and will feature in air shows and trade fairs across the country,” he said.
“The US would be a great market for us to crack and really build our international credibility and with such strong support from the State Government we feel very confident this will be a very successful move for us.”
India and South Africa Regulatory Authorities have also accepted the Seeker for operation in their countries. One of India’s larger industrial companies has just been appointed distributor for the Seeker in that region.
A Seeker will be demonstrated at the Avalon Air Show.
Previously Seabird Aviation Australia received Queensland Industry Development Scheme grants of $19,125 to improve quality assurance procedures and $24,945 towards an investment brief.
In 2005 the company won a Queensland Government Wide Bay Burnett Region Emerging Exporter of the Year Award as well as a Highly Commended in the Manufacturing category of the awards. In 2006 it was winner of the Small Business award.
Company Contact: Seabird Aviation Australia, Mr Peter Adams (Managing Director) 4125 3144; www.seabirdaviation.com.au
Media contact: Chris Brown 3224 7349 or Elouise Campion 3224 6784.
20 March, 2007