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Australian-owned aerospace SME Australian Aerospace Engineering has opened a new 1,900-square-metre maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Albury, expanding its capacity to support complex Defence, aviation, and commercial customers while creating new skilled jobs in regional NSW.
Australian Aerospace Engineering (AAE) has officially opened a new purpose-built maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility adjacent to Albury Airport, marking a major expansion for the Australian-owned aerospace company.
The facility brings aircraft maintenance, component overhaul, non-destructive testing, machining, manufacturing, spare-parts storage and specialist surface treatment capabilities under one roof.
It also features a heated semi-downdraft spray booth and adjoining helipad designed to support maintenance activities involving medium and large helicopters.
AAE chief executive officer Adam Johnston said the new facility represented 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.
AAE 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, as well as Qantas, McDermott Aviation, Jet Aviation, LifeFlight, Toll Helicopters, Regional Express and Kestrel Aviation.
The new facility is expected to support further workforce growth, including multiple engineering and technical positions over the next five years, while strengthening 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 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, while also supplying aerospace hardware.
The Albury investment strengthens the company’s position within Australia’s sovereign aerospace and Defence industrial base, providing additional domestic capacity for 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.
With Australia’s Defence and civil aviation sectors facing growing demand for skilled maintenance, engineering and manufacturing capacity, AAE’s expansion highlights the increasing role regional Australian SMEs can play in sustaining a more resilient domestic aerospace industry.
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