AAC welcomes Cirrus assembly plant

Archerfield Airport Corporation (AAC) announced that plans are well advanced for  the establishment of the Australasian Cirrus assembly plant at Archerfield Airport.

The AAC has welcomed this exciting venture by the USA’s Cirrus Design Corporation, by one of the world’s leading manufacturers of single-engine piston-powered aircraft. The facility will be Cirrus’ third assembly line, and it will be tasked with completing aircraft for Australia as well as export to New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia.

A Cirrus Design sales agency has been based at the airport for the past five years. From April the company will send aircraft components to the airport for assembly, with the first Cirrus aircraft to be completed and ready for its maiden flight in May.

AAC Managing Director, Gavin Bird, said Cirrus’ decision to establish its assembly plant at Archerfield complemented the Corporation’s plans to develop the airport into a world-class facility capable of meeting the needs of the aviation industry.

“Our vision is to develop Archerfield Airport as a centre of excellence for the aeronautical and related industries, so we are very pleased to see the world’s leading light aircraft being assembled and sold here,” he said. “Cirrus is renowned for its use of innovative technology.”

Steve Maltby, the Director of Cirrus Australasia, said aircraft sales from Archerfield Airport had been very strong, largely because of the plane’s unique safety feature, the Airframe Parachute System. In 2005, the Cirrus SR22 was the world’s best selling aircraft for the fourth consecutive year.

Mr Maltby said the Corporation had assisted to fast-track negotiations for suitable hangar space and this had ensured that all was in place for a speedy start up of the assembly line.