Dassault Systemes to team with AAI to have grand old plane made here

The company planning to manufacture a seaplane in Darwin has entered a new partnership, taking the project forward.

AMPHIBIAN Aerospace Industries, the company planning to manufacture a seaplane in Darwin, has entered into a partnership agreement with leading French software company Dassault Systemes.

AAI and Dassault announced last week they are partnering to develop and produce amphibian aerospace capabilities, as part of AAI’s plan to manufacture an updated version of the Albatross G-111T seaplane in the Northern Territory.

Dassault Systemes will use its 3DEXPERIENCE software to build a virtual twin to the Albatross G-111T, upon which to base and design the actual manufacture of the plane.

The partnership between AAI and Dassault is another significant step in AAI’s plan to build the seaplane in Darwin.

If successful, there will be up to 300 permanent jobs and an annual revenue of up to $100m a year by the end of the decade is forecast.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the Dassault deal underscored the program’s potential.

“This is another significant step forward in what will be a long term creator of highly-skilled jobs for the Northern Territory,” he said.

“Dassault Systemes is a global leader in the aviation sector and its partnership with Amphibian Aerospace Industries will accelerate the journey toward manufacturing these legendary seaplanes right here in Darwin.”

Late last month the Northern Territory government and AAI signed a shareholders investment agreement that secured the first tranche of payments by the NT to the project.

The Northern Territory has committed $10m to the unique, potentially economy transforming project, which could result in up to a dozen Albatross amphibious aircraft rolling off the production line on land owned by the Airport Development Group near Darwin airport.

In February, Mr Gunner and AAI chief executive Dan Webster agreed to the handover of the first $1.5m in the equity purchase.

The money will be used to establish the company’s Darwin office, secure hangar space at the Airport, recruit Northern Territory staff, relocate an Albatross aircraft to Darwin and commence work on the supplementary type certificate for the new turbo prop engines from Pratt and Whitney.

AAI hope the first seaplanes will roll off the Darwin production line by 2026.

“It’s a relatively tight timeline but we think achievable because we have an existing aeroplane we’re doing a modification to an existing aircraft,” Mr Webster said.

Mr Webster is travelling to Darwin this week for a series of meetings with key stakeholders, previously disrupted by Covid lockdowns.

Originally published as Dassault Systemes to team with AAI to have grand old plane made here