About Radio Active Avionics
"Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible"
-Edward Vernon Rickenbacher
IT BEGAN WITH AN IDEA
The searing heat of the Middle East, the challenges of remote Papua New Guinea and the isolation of outback Queensland and WA formed a platform for a technically advanced and focussed approach to the design and interconnection of Avionics systems.
An idea sparked the foundations of Radio Active Avionics - the concept of providing on-site service, being available anywhere at anytime and at short notice.
In 1998 in response to the expanding needs of local maintenance facilities, a permanent workshop was established at Redcliffe in South East Queensland, primarily to support the emerging Helicopter industry in the region.
With advancements in avionics systems, a service offering new solutions for rotary aircraft was demanded in line with the expanding areas of helicopter use. Advanced communication systems enabling greater flexibility for Journalists and Live Link video in News Helicopters, as well as every day options for improved personal communication that came with SatPhones and CDMA were some of the areas where Radio Active Avionics began assisting helicopter operators with customised and user-friendly alternatives.
Avionics started to take precedence as finding solutions for ageing aircraft started to emerge as an important priority for aircraft owners. Rewiring a full aircraft was already being done in the US and Canada but most avionics workshops in Australia were geared to meeting regular maintenance and were not prepared for meeting specialised fitout requirements.
Mike Roberts, Managing Director:
"It's like asking a Horticulturalist to do a Backyard Blitz - they do a great job of maintaining it or even doing small makeovers, but when it comes to major design or construction, they don't have the data, experience, tooling or manpower needed to achieve such a project in an acceptable timeframe. They aren't set up to do this."
"Aircraft operators are on strict timeframes or else they stand to lose major revenue. So, precision scheduling and workmanship are extremely important for this type of work. The right design is also important or a great opportunity can be lost."
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Radio Active Avionics has supported upgrades to meet the increasing demands for EMS (Emergency Medical Service) Helicopters now used all across Australia. Identifying the specialised needs for EMS aircraft was a key purpose for developing the service that could produce complex design solutions for major specialised Avionics fitouts. The specialised training of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and the collation of comprehensive technical data required to support emerging trends and ageing helicopters has been a priority for Radio Active Avionics for the last 10 years. The current generation of Helicopters is emerging with glass cockpits, complex fully integrated AFCS and navigation systems. Over the years, resources have been ploughed back into developing the Company with continual improvements - to the workshop facilities, tooling and equipment, to staff training, data capture and quality management systems. |
The benefits to operators has been outstanding with high reliability and increased revenues when a renewed aircraft is returned to service. Understanding the operator's specific needs and customising them into reality is where Radio Active Avionics provides the most value.
A quiet conversation with "Angel 2"
THE LEARNING CURVE
After a number of increasingly complex projects in the late 1990's, Hunter Rescue (the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Hunter Region) offered one amazing challenge - the first full rewire of a Bell 412 to be undertaken in Australia, fully fitted out with improved systems for EMS service.
The "Angel 2" rewire involved the redesign and integration of over 140 different avionics systems.
With a team of 8 Avionics staff working alongside Heliwork's Engine/ Airframe team and many nights at the drawing board reconstructing the whole Bell 412 system, the aircraft reassembled took off for active duty in the Newcastle region. Since it's completion in 2001, Angel 2 has since been called to 1,000's of rescues and Hunter Rescue's Engineers have reported they are still extremely satisfied with it's highly reliable avionics system.
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Radio Active Avionics has since carried out a significant range of full helicopter rewires and major refurbishments, particularly for Bell, Hughes, Eurocopter and Agusta aircraft. EMS (Emergency Medical Service or "Rescue Choppers"), Customs, News and Fire Service aircraft have provided some of the greatest challenges in heavy maintenance and systems integration. Each new challenge has been met and achieved by the combined strengths of the team and with other aviation colleagues. Great challenges became Radio Active Avionics' calling and having access to the right technical expertise to support the advancement of knowledge is ongoing. |
Radio Active's management has established and encouraged mutual respect and support with other colleagues. These qualities are quintessential in small business where personalised and flexible customer solutions can be best catered for. The ratio of Licenced staff directly involved and the ease of decision-making throughout the project is naturally higher in a small business scenario.
Ken Weal, Chief Engineer, is actively involved in the projects on a daily basis:
"In this Company, the Chief Engineer has always been an active member of the team. It's a more satisfying way to work and a more effective way of managing the projects as well."
Lani Roberts, Admin & Quality Manager:
"We have solid admin systems in place to support the Engineers together with good regulated procedures which are carefully aligned with our operational activities but we can manage to keep a personal approach to projects without the ‘conveyor-belt' mentality that is intrinsically adopted by many larger organisations."
Radio Active Avionics continues to support training and apprenticeships, flexibility in customer solutions and continual improvement of efficient and responsive systems that meet fluctuations resulting from the constant movements of aviation trends and global economies.
