The Victorian Government has announced a $500,000 grant scheme to promote commercial innovation within the aviation industry.
Minister for the Aviation Industry Gordon Rich-Phillips said the new Research for the Aviation Industry grants program would fund collaborative research projects, commissioned by the industry, working with research institutes or organisations.
“The aviation sector has already identified a number of areas which would benefit from industry research such as productivity, aircraft development, airport management and maintenance, repair and overhaul," Rich-Phillips said
“Projects could also focus on pilot training and human factors, air safety and air traffic control, and new technologies for the development of future aircraft.”
Funded research should be innovative and benefit the whole of the aviation industry, with the reports and findings of Research for the Aviation Industry projects being made available to the whole sector.
“Victoria’s aviation industry should build on its reputation as a mature and high quality industry, in order to realise opportunities in growing markets,” Rich-Phillips said.
“Importantly, this grants program will cement Victoria as the leading state in Australia to respond to the expanding needs of the local, domestic and international aviation and aerospace sectors.
“The Research for the Aviation Industry grants program will encourage and cultivate an environment where efficiencies and growth can be realised. It will also encourage sector-wide collaboration to support innovation, training, export and investment through industry-led research projects.
The first round of grants will open in May 2014.