Airport and aviation industry experts Keith Tonkin and Sara Hales of aviation consulting firm Avistra have been busy putting their extensive aviation commercial and ops skills to facilitating the establishment of a sustainable emerging aviation ecosystem within Australia. To facilitate its establishment, Avistra has launched an industry collaboration platform, Greenbird.

The Greenbird platform aims to increase local capability, leverage international experience and connect industry organisations and government to develop a sustainable aviation ecosystem.

Hales says emerging aviation technologies offer capability over a wide range of missions, improvements in the cost of air transport and genuine progress towards the decarbonisation of air transport: “We are launching an industry collaboration platform that will bring together international expertise, local industry participants and government to work together towards a vision where air mobility is for everyone and it doesn't cost the Earth.”

Brisbane recently won the opportunity to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, creating a unique opportunity to leverage a key event to drive investment and industry attraction, and to demonstrate the leadership of both Australia and Queensland within the aerospace and innovation sectors.

A key metric to the success of building this ecosystem is ensuring the involvement of people with experience working within the country's aviation safety and regulatory system.

“Initially, we're talking about a four to six seat, electric-powered, piloted aircraft carrying passengers or urgent freight; this is an extension of the commercial, safety and regulatory work we do every day,” says Tonkin.

In order to create the regulatory certainty and an attractive landscape for investment, it is essential to build a partnership approach between industry and government to identify and address the various challenges this industry faces. To this end it has engaged vertiport designer, developer and operator Skyports and rotary operators Nautilus Aviation and Aviator Group as founding ecosystem partners.

Tonkin says: “We have an opportunity right now to leverage the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, to attract key investments that will set Queensland and Australia apart from the rest of the world.”

Skyports' head of Asia Pacific Yun Yuan Tay says: “If Queensland acts now, it will benefit significantly by having a mature AAM ecosystem in place ready for the Brisbane Games. As a priority market in Australia for Skyports, we are honoured to join Greenbird to bring our expert knowledge and experience of vertiport infrastructure to this important consortium.”

Hales adds: “Skyports is one of the most credible and experienced organisations in the global AAM industry. It has built vertiport infrastructure around the world and has participated in numerous best practice concept of operations and other AAM ecosystem development work globally. Skyports' experience in multi-OEM operations is unparalleled and is a valuable addition to the development of Australia's AAM ecosystem. These aircraft have a wide range of capabilities, suited to a variety of use cases. Ultimately, advanced air mobility offers progression towards the decarbonisation of flight and takes real steps towards ensuring improved equity of access to air mobility service.”

Nautilus Aviation operates a fleet of Airbus, Bell, Kawasaki and Robinson helicopters from bases in Townsville, Cairns, Port Douglas, Horn Island and Darwin. The company recently placed an order for 10 eVTOL aircraft with Eve Urban Air Mobility, with operational tourism flights expected by 2026.

CEO Aaron Finn says: “The development of critical infrastructure requirements, licensing, regulatory approvals and safety guidelines is a key driver in the partnership between Nautilus Aviation and Greenbird. The planning and development phase is critical to a timely introduction of eVTOL transport to the Australian market.”

Hales adds: “Interest across the aviation sector in integrating AAM operations into existing aviation businesses is growing daily, with orders being placed for Australia's future AAM fleet. AAM aircraft have a wide range of capabilities, suited towards a variety of use cases. Nautilus Aviation's broad suite of aviation operations positions it to contribute valuable insight to the development of a fit for purpose Australian AAM ecosystem.”

Tonkin says: “Organisations like Nautilus will represent the leading edge of AAM adoption within Australia. We welcome its deep experience and valuable contribution to the Greenbird collaboration platform.”

Aviator Group is an operator of rotary wing aircraft through subsidiaries Whitsunday Helicopters and Mackay Helicopters. It is buoyed by the possibilities that AAM will bring, and believes that a clear focus on certification, flight testing, regulation, infrastructure, training and technical support, underpinned by genuine use cases, will be necessary to effectively ramp up the democratisation of helicopter flight and aerial mobility.

In a study commissioned by Rolls-Royce, Roland Berger found that when developing an AAM ecosystem, it is important to have an organisation in place which orchestrates industry and government efforts in a streamlined way towards a singular AAM vision. “Studies such as these further demonstrate what world's best practice looks like in the development of advanced air mobility ecosystems. It is encouraging to see that Greenbird's approach is consistent with this,” says Tonkin.