The approval follows a two-year project initiated by McDermott Aviation, the world’s largest 214B operator, to improve the supply of hard-to-source parts.
12 October 2026: Australian aerospace engineering company Plane Support has received Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) approval to manufacture cabin air conditioning ducting for the 214B helicopter using additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, in a project initiated by aerial disaster responders McDermott Aviation.
The approval, granted under CASA’s Australian Parts Manufacturer Approval (APMA) framework, covers ducting components for the 214B (B-1) and follows almost two years of development by the two companies in close consultation with CASA.
McDermott Aviation, the world’s largest operator of the 214B and holder of the aircraft’s Type Certificate, started the project to improve the supply of replacement parts for its fleet, where some components can be difficult to source.
“An aircraft waiting on a component you can’t easily get hold of is an aircraft that isn’t working,” McDermott Aviation Founder and President John McDermott said.
“Being able to have approved parts made here in Queensland gives us far more control over that.”
To produce the components, Plane Support used 3D scanning to capture original 214B ducting and create accurate digital models. The parts were then reverse engineered and redesigned for additive manufacturing while retaining their original form, fit and function.
Plane Support established a dedicated aerospace additive manufacturing laboratory for the project, built around the Markforged FX10 industrial 3D printing platform, and developed the quality systems, production controls and inspection methods needed to meet CASA airworthiness requirements.
Plane Support Director of Engineering Jason Hazell said the project required new processes to be developed and validated from the ground up.
“Ducting sounds simple until you try to reproduce it. These are complex shapes that have to fit exactly and perform in the aircraft just as the originals do, and we had to prove every step of that to CASA,” Mr Hazell said.
“We didn’t have an established process to follow, so we developed our own procedures, quality systems and inspection methods and worked them through with CASA. That groundwork now gives us a pathway for other components and other aircraft types.”
The approval expands the scope of Plane Support’s CASA Part 21K additive manufacturing capability.
Mr McDermott said the project reflected the company’s responsibility as Type Certificate holder for the long-term support of the 214B.
“We own the Type Certificate for this aircraft, so keeping it supported sits with us. Jason and his team have spent almost two years getting this right, and to now have received CASA approval is tremendously exciting news – not just from our perspective but in terms of the manufacturing capability we are developing here in Australia.”
Mr Hazell added the result relied on the experience and expertise of both companies.
“McDermott Aviation brought decades of knowledge of operating and maintaining this aircraft and we brought the engineering, manufacturing and approvals side – it was a joint effort from start to finish and demonstrates the results that can be achieved when we look for solutions that simply didn’t exist a decade ago.”
About McDermott Aviation
McDermott Aviation, established in 1982 and headquartered on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, is Australia’s largest privately owned helicopter operator. With a fleet of more than 50 aircraft, including the world’s largest collection of Bell 214 series aircraft, McDermott operates 15 Bell 214Bs and 14 Bell 214STs. McDermott Aviation (MCDAV) owns the Type Certificate for both the Bell 214B and 214ST series and is currently preparing to commence production of its modified Utility 214ST model.
Employing more than 300 personnel globally, the company specialises in aerial firefighting, heavy lifting, agricultural spraying, infrastructure support, emergency response, aerial application, tourism and training. McDermott maintains bases across Australia and the Pacific, including in New South Wales, Western Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. Internationally, it has a strong operational presence in Greece and is expanding in North America through major maintenance facilities in Alabama and the acquisition of Transwest Helicopters in Canada. McDermott delivers safe, reliable and technically advanced aviation services domestically and abroad.
For more information, visit www.mcdermottaviation.com
About Plane Support
Plane Support is an Australian aviation engineering, manufacturing and maintenance company that has supplied parts and services to the aviation industry worldwide for almost 30 years. Its work covers component maintenance, manufacturing, engineering and defence. Services include parts manufactured under CASA’s Australian Parts Manufacturer Approval (APMA) framework, additive manufacturing, cabin interiors, one-off parts, technical consulting and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). Plane Support holds CASA Part 21K, Part 21G and Part 145 approvals and operates an AS9100 quality management system.
For more information, visit www.planesupport.com
The Comms. People provides strategic communications, public relations and media relations support to McDermott Aviation in Australia and internationally. For more information and images, please contact Jennifer or Heather at The Comms. People:
Jennifer Swaine | 0438952830 | jen@commspeople.au
Heather Mollins | 0412421411 | heather@commspeople.au