For Adrian Lane, Supervisor – Technical Training & Business Development at Aviation Australia, the 20^th anniversary celebration of Aviation Australia this year is not only a company milestone but also a personal one.

Adrian’s father and uncles worked at the old TAA hangar at Essendon Fields for many years starting in the 1950s – the same building that Aviation Australia occupies today to provide critical Aviation Engineering training services to Australia’s aviation industry.

From its base at Essendon Fields, Aviation Australia offers aircraft maintenance engineering training, part 66 examinations and cabin crew theory training to those pursuing a career in the aviation industry.

This year marks the 20-year anniversary since the company started, 20 years of aviation training, and the launch of their new facilities at Essendon Fields. This fantastic milestone was celebrated by an event with employees and other key stakeholders to mark the occasion.

Adrian feels a sense of history working out of Hangar 85, which was the original base of TAA at Essendon Airport.

“My father Len and his four brothers all worked at Essendon airport initially. Len’s older brother Rick commenced in 1951 at TAA and my father joined him a few years later in 1954. Then my uncle Wilfred started in 1958 at TAA and the odd one out was Graham, who started in 1965 at Ansett. Graham was tragically killed in his first year at work. Finally, my dad’s youngest brother Ian the last one to start, beginning in 1971 at TAA,’’ said Adrian Lane, Supervisor – Technical Training & Business Development at Aviation Australia.

“You can tell that aviation runs in the veins of my family. I have worked at Aviation Australia since 2017 and I have to say I was especially excited to move into the old TAA building during 2020. My father has often talked about the old times.  Uncle Rick was at Essendon Airport until 1968 having worked there for 17 years, and my dad Len also left in 1968 after 14 years, both of them moving to Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong as Flight Engineers. Wilfred worked in aviation for about 20 years up until 1978. I can feel the history that surrounds Hangar 85,’’ he said.

“Aviation Australia offers a broad range of services to the industry. We now conduct Aeroskills training for first year apprentices all the way to training for Licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineers. We could think of no better place to be located than Essendon Fields,’’ Adrian said.

Essendon Fields CEO Brendan Pihan congratulated Aviation Australia on celebrating its 20-year anniversary.

“Organizations like Aviation Australia are a vital part of the aviation ecosystem at Essendon Fields Airport, and the industry more broadly.  The average age of aircraft maintenance engineers at EF is well above 50, so introducing new talent is essential to the viability of the industry, which highlights the importance of AA’s work.  Congratulations to Aviation Australia on 20 years of service to the industry.”

Adrian Lane sees the relationship between Essendon Fields and Aviation Australia as collaborative.

“We train engineers and apprentices that come from all of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia here at Essendon Fields and enhancing their expertise helps keep our aviation sector supplied with maintenance staff to keep those aircraft and helicopters going across the whole country,’’ he said.