Maintainer jobs in Australia

[elp]

I was in Australia recently several times, (probably be moving there)... anyway... seems if you are a qualified U.S. maintainer, ( example former USAF, USN etc ) that there are some jobs to be had there. Saw one for the HUG ( Hornet upgrade ) Program run by Boeing. Various avionics stuff. And you don't need prior Hornet experience, just be a good/experienced maintainer.

A friend of mine also knows someone that is an ex-USAF avionics tech that now does work on the Aussie AF's new ride, the "Wedgetail" (A new generation Boeing 737 with AESA/MESA gear on it that does a similar mission to our JSTARS).

I wasn't even looking for this stuff (I am not a qualified maintainer). So I would imagine there is more. Could probably support your surfing habit if you had one. The RAAF and Aussie defense (defence ) industry in general projects a need for engineers of various flavors too.
Anyway, I thought it was interesting.

[MechFromHell]

Thanks for sharing elp! It's always good to hear info about job leads...no matter how far away! So, how close is some of the work you mentioned to that sweet spot on the beach in yor pic?

[elp]

Thanks for sharing elp! It's always good to hear info about job leads...no matter how far away! So, how close is some of the work you mentioned to that sweet spot on the beach in yor pic?

Right down the road. Close. I took that at the beach at Hawks Nest. The house we rented for a week was a stones throw from the beach. Occasionally you would hear Aussie F-18s off in the distance on climbout going north somewhere. RAAF Williamtown ( Fightertown ) (just a few miles south of that pic) is one of their main F-18 bases. They have a new F-18 combat sim there that ( is same as the USNs F-18E/F Super Hornet combat crew sim altered to sim their legacy Hornets. They just got JDAM, are getting the Joint Helmet Cueing System, and are going big with NCW ( netcentric warfare ) which the sim can simulate all that and of course NCW is necessary for Wedgetail to work well ). They also do their F-18 depot repair/refirb there ( next thing I think is the F-18 tradition: Fuselage barrel replacement for all their legacy Hornets ) Wedgetail is bedding down at that base too.
I will most likely be sometime in the future living in Newcastle. It is on the east coast just south of RAAF Williamtown and is north of Sydney.

The guy fishing was originally from Scotland. He had been in Aussieland about 30 years.

[joney750]

I would like some info on the jobs there. please e mail me jonesy750(at)hotmail.com

[elp]

This one might need a relook. I do NOT know. However consider that HUG, the Hornet Upgrade Program for Australia is running into some more challenges. The part of the program for replacing barrels ( common with F-18s, the center part of the fuselage.) appears to need some help. Originally they were going to send just one off to Canada and have it done there. They are sending more airframes, simply because of some discoverly of the tasks needed/parts needed has increased and, due to not finding enough skilled people to work at RAAF Williamtown. ( a stones throw from where I am moving to ). So I think if any one is interested, and I know there are skilled airframe people on the forum here, one may consider trying to contact Boeing Australia and see if what I said is true. All of this is an assumption on my part, but it looks like they may need some skilled people.

This gives you a bit of background on the CBR issue....

RAAF LOOKS AT MORE SUPER HORNETS OPTION: The RAAF is reportedly considering an option to acquire an additional batch of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in case of further delays to the F-35 JSF program and as a fall-back to reported technical challenges with the ‘classic' Hornet fleet's centre barrel replacement (CBR) program.

Despite denials by Defence Minister Dr Brendan Nelson, the article in ‘Aviation Week & Space Technology' on September 17 comes on the back of recent rumours from within both Defence and industry that the RAAF had made enquiries as to the price and availability for an additional batch of up to 24 Super Hornets, including as many as eight EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, which could be delivered in the 2012-2014 timeframe.

The risk in the Project Air 5376 Phase 3.2B/C CBR program has increased due to the number of parts required to perform a CBR being vastly underestimated, the lack of a suitably skilled in-country workforce, and reluctance by the Williamtown centred Hornet Industry Coalition partners to perform the work. On top of this, a number of significant risks surrounding the F-35 program continue to arise including ongoing flight test schedule slippage, budget overruns, and funding uncertainties going forward.

While last year's Air 5319 Bridging Air Combat Capability (BACC) Super Hornet buy has alleviated a looming five to eight year gap in the RAAF's strike capability following the retirement of the F-111C force from 2010, it is anticipated that an additional Super Hornet acquisition may be required to cover the retirement of as many as half of the older ‘classic' Hornets which are expected to run out of hours from 2012. A second batch may result in Australia's future air combat force over the long term being split between the Super Hornet and the F-35, rather than the current plan to replace the Supers with a final buy of F-35s around 2020.

Another options thought to be under consideration is re-certification of the airframe lives on some or all of the ‘classic' fleet from the current 5000 hours to as many as 9000 hours, with the expected fatigue and corrosion issues being pro-actively addressed as an extension of the Air 5376 Phase 3.1 program. After completing just 13 CBRs, Canada has changed tack and instead gone down this re-certification path with its 80 CF-18s while it performs systems upgrades similar to those of the RAAF's F/A-18A/Bs.

http://www.ausaviation.com.au/aaexpress.htm

"re-certification" = flight envelope limits?

[F16JOAT]

The PIG's are going out soon, the TF30's have just about spent their life out of them. There is no sight down the road to re-engine them with the GE400B's that were pulled from the F-14+'s, so looks like some real options were left to back it up and the F-18+ was one of them. These will be somewhat of a lessor capable aircraft than the F-111 but hear that it's about the best buy for RAAF if the F-35B can't make the schedule plus the deliverables ( composite material information for repairs, etc). At the rate the current F-35B program is going and it's weight problems along with other engineering issues, I seriously think that RAAF will exercise an option for more F-18+'s.

[louie.manogue]

Elp do you have any contacts in Australia for the wedgetail program. I am ex USAF avionics technician, living here, as I am originally from here. Wouldn't mind working on the F-18's or wedgetail. Thanks.

[elp]

Elp do you have any contacts in Australia for the wedgetail program. I am ex USAF avionics technician, living here, as I am originally from here. Wouldn't mind working on the F-18's or wedgetail. Thanks.

If you are near Newcastle try the Boeing Australia website.