Claimed by organisers as the biggest airshow in the southern hemisphere, the 2017 Australian International Airshow attracted over 200,000 people during its three public days.
In the week leading up to the big weekend, SafeSmart Aviation exhibited its flagship height access products to industry prospects from some of the world’s biggest names in aviation.
Notable Players
Lockheed Martin, due to the prevalence of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, was a major focus of the show. And the aircraft’s inclusion in the programme for static and in-flight display brought together dignitaries from the Australian Government with senior political and military staff from the US.
While the fighter is already sold to Australia for its use in the RAAF, the buzz around its first public appearance emblazoned with the grey kangaroo made it clear that the exercise was as much PR-related as it was an opportunity to highlight its capabilities to the people. Pushing it over the line this week were reports of local job generation through maintenance jobs and supplier opportunities.
SafeSmart Aviation, while not being able to give anything confidential away about its immediate prospects, relished the opportunity to rub shoulders with MROs who might be commissioned to maintain any new aircraft. And the F-35 wasn’t the only ‘big sell’ going on.
Airbus’ military push at Avalon this year was led by the A400M Atlas. The 4-prop, multi-use cargo and troop carrier operated by the RAF had arrived from a brief promotional stint in New Zealand, and Airbus has recently increased it keenness to pitch the aircraft as a replacement for the ADF’s ageing C-130J Hercules fleet. Again, the prospects for a supplier like SafeSmart Aviation are promising; they have been previously commissioned by Northrup Grumman to design and build customised full-surround aircraft maintenance platforms for the ADF’s C-130 fleet, so the trust in their expertise and a relationship is already there.
SafeSmart’s Position
Gaining interest from several manufacturers, maintenance contractors and operators, SafeSmart Aviation’s attendance was a significant one. While there is competition for adding safety to the world’s ramps and hangars, SafeSmart Aviation—a specialised division of construction access giant SafeSmart Access—is unique in providing products of equal strength, yet with the added advantage of hand-manoeuvrability.
As an EA-18G Growler roars over the exhibition hall, SafeSmart Aviation’s senior representative for Australasia, Simon Weidenhofer, identified the company’s appeal in the market.
“There’s nobody else at this event like us. We are unique in that we offer a comprehensive, client-fed stream of ideas for bringing safety to ground crews and technicians,” said Simon. “Whether it is to help prevent falls and injury to personnel working at height or providing ways to keep the hangar floor tidy and compliant, our products and designs are a valuable addition to any aviation environment.”
