18 June 2008
Minister for Trade launches Gippsland Aeronautics Nomad Plane
The Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, today launched Gippsland Aeronautic’s reborn Nomad plane.
The Nomad is an 18-seat short take off and landing Australian designed aircraft that has been used for both military and civil purposes where remoteness and rugged terrain make it difficult for many traditional aircraft to access.
Gippsland Aeronautics – based at Latrobe Valley Regional Airport in Victoria - today took over the type certificate of the Nomad from Boeing.
It plans to redevelop the aircraft for a new domestic and international market.
Mr Crean said “the production of the new aircraft will create up to 150 new jobs for regional Victoria, as it is expected to double the company’s workforce as well as creating flow-on jobs in the area.”
“It will also help create an aviation cluster in Gippsland, building longer term benefits for the region,” he said.
But the significance went beyond jobs for regional Australia, as it signalled how Australian firms can build on existing skills and production to create new exports into overseas markets.
“It’s not just jobs for the region, it’s exports for the nation and it’s understanding the country’s strength in aviation build but also the opportunities for Australian companies in niche markets,” said Mr Crean.
Australia’s exports in the aviation and aerospace sector are currently worth $460 million a year, compared with imports of $1.7 billion a year from the United States alone.
The new Nomad could deliver an extra $700 million worth of export sales to Australia over the next decade, helping to close the gap between imports and exports.
Mr Crean said the new Nomad would be extremely useful in a diverse range of geographically difficult environments, including at mining operations around the world.
“Here is a company which has now expanded quite significantly off our mining sector,” said Mr Crean. “The type of aircraft that’s being built here is going to service a lot of mining communities in remote areas that are difficult to access.”
While Australia is going through a resources boom, redeveloping the new Nomad is an example of an innovative company moving beyond our traditional strengths to develop related businesses.
“This is a great example not just of jobs and exports but a local company linking in a logistics sense to an Australian strength and at the same time, taking an Australian icon – Nomad – and really turning it into a great export opportunity.”
Media Inquiries: Mr Crean's office 02 6277 7420 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555