Firefighting choppers go 3D

Key points

• Sunshine Coast operator McDermott Aviation has received Civil Aviation Safety Authority approval for locally made 3D-printed replacement parts for its helicopters. Queensland company Plane Support will print cabin air-conditioning ducts for the Bell 214B, a heavy-lift helicopter used in aerial firefighting and emergency response.
• The project took almost two years of engineering and testing. McDermott Aviation said local supply would reduce the risk of aircraft being grounded while waiting for hard-to-source parts.
• Plane Support said the approval could lead to other components and aircraft types being supported in Australia.