Australian Aerospace Engineering (AAE) has opened a new 1,900-square-metre maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility adjacent to Albury Airport, expanding its capacity to support Defence, aviation and commercial customers with aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, non-destructive testing (NDT), machining, manufacturing and specialist surface treatment capabilities.
The purpose-built facility brings multiple aerospace capabilities under one roof, including non-destructive testing, alongside aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, machining, manufacturing and spare-parts storage. It also includes a heated semi-downdraft spray booth and an adjoining helipad designed to support maintenance activities involving medium and large helicopters.
AAE chief executive officer Adam Johnston said the new facility marked the next stage in the company’s growth after more than two decades in operation.
“This new facility gives our people the space and resources to take on more complex work and deliver outstanding solutions for our customers,” Johnston said.
The Australian-owned aerospace SME has grown from a three-person family business into a 14-strong operation supporting the Australian Defence Force and major defence and commercial aviation customers. Its industry relationships include Lockheed Martin Australia, Sikorsky Australia, Pilatus Australia, BAE Systems and Pennant Australasia, along with Qantas, McDermott Aviation, Jet Aviation, LifeFlight, Toll Helicopters, Regional Express and Kestrel Aviation.
For the NDT sector, the expansion places non-destructive testing within AAE’s broader in-house aerospace maintenance and manufacturing capability. The company’s capabilities span both maintenance and manufacturing, with AAE operating as a CASA Part 145-approved MRO organisation and a CASA Part 21-approved manufacturer of aeronautical products.
AAE’s NDT capability has also been supported through co-funding under the Australian Government’s Defence Industry Development Grant, which has enabled the company to establish a non-destructive testing capability alongside other facility investments.
The facility is expected to support further workforce growth, including multiple engineering and technical positions over the next five years, while expanding AAE’s ability to undertake increasingly complex aerospace work domestically.
Member for Albury Justin Clancy said the investment demonstrated the capability of regional Australian businesses to compete in advanced aerospace and Defence industries.
“This facility provides a solid foundation for the company’s ongoing growth, including new engineering and technical roles over the coming years,” Clancy said.
AAE said the expansion will also contribute to the wider Albury regional economy by supporting more than 150 suppliers and strengthening links with education and training providers. The investment further expands the company’s domestic capacity across aircraft maintenance, component repair, manufacturing and specialist engineering services.
Johnston said the facility reflected the company’s confidence in its workforce and the region.
“What we’ve created here reflects our belief in our people, in Albury and in what Australian SMEs can accomplish,” he said.
The opening of the Albury facility adds to AAE’s expanding role in Australia’s aerospace and Defence industrial base, with NDT forming part of an integrated capability covering maintenance, component overhaul, manufacturing and specialist aerospace services.
