A new name, new premises and new business focus for Jandakot-based Skyworx Aviation is set to solidify the company’s position as Western Australia’s largest specialist aircraft products manufacturer.
A new name, new premises and new business focus for Jandakot-based Skyworx Aviation is set to solidify the company’s position as Western Australia’s largest specialist aircraft products manufacturer.
The fresh start comes as the company prepares to launch its innovative fire products in the US early next year.
Managing director Rob Stevenson will head up the company under a new name, Aerospace Fabrication, at its expanded 700 square metre base at Jandakot airport, when the company re-locates to its new premises on March 1 2007.
After off-loading its air tour and charter businesses to Jandakot Flight Centre earlier this year, and dropping its aircraft maintenance business, the company has switched its focus to specialise on contract-based aircraft product manufacturing, aircraft fit-outs and the international roll-out of its airborne fire products, Mr Stevenson said.
Developed by Mr Stevenson, the Raindance Systems Incendiary Machine is a compact capsule dispenser attached to rotary or fixed-wing aircraft. The unit delivers airborne incendiaries, selectively burning the build-up of fuel on forest floors and helping reduce the risk of bushfires.
After receiving national and international attention at various local and international trade shows, the system will be launched in California in February next year, following testing by the US fire service in January.
Mr Stevenson said the departure of his business partner earlier this year forced a re-think of the company’s its operations, fuelling the sell-off of the air tour, charter and tourism businesses.
Since then, the company has doubled its workforce of aircraft engineers, machinists and fabricators, and targeted large-scale national projects and international product development, culminating in the move to the larger premises and complete image and name change.
“I was chief engineer for 10 years, so after losing my partner, we sold off our aircraft maintenance, charters and tourism, and decided to just focus on manufacturing and the fire products,” Mr Stevenson said.
“I thought I’d focus on what we wanted to do for the future of the company.”
This year, Skyworx was contracted to fit-out a number of Coast Watch planes, including the manufacture and maintenance of rescue equipment and replacement parts.
The company is also looking to move into the airline market, and is currently manufacturing bullet-proof cockpit doors for Skywest Airlines’ Fokker 50 aircraft.
