History

McDermott Aviation Pty Ltd was established back in 1982,  beginning operations as an Aerial Application specialist company. Since then, we have grown into Australia’s largest privately owned helicopter company – whilst still operating out of our original premises on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

We have evolved over 35 years from providing purely Aerial Application operations, to operating Australia’s largest fleet of privately owned helicopters, and are currently the industry leaders in Lifting/Aerial Crane Operations, Mosquito and Fire Ant control application, Search and Rescue Operations, Aerial Application, VIP Charter and Freight, and of course Aerial Fire Fighting – currently holding one of the greatest number of NAFC Aerial Fire Fighting contracts in Australia, and pride ourselves on our level of Fire Fighting ability, performance and customer service.

Employing over 100 staff world-wide, owning and operating over 30 Helicopters, we offer a large and unique variety of Helicopters to suit any situation that may arise, including the worlds largest fleet of the most powerful, single engine, twin bladed helicopter ever produced – the “Big Lifter” Bell 214B.

With our main base situated at Cooroy on the Sunshine Coast, and bases located at Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast) in Queensland, Bankstown in New South Wales, Jandakot in Western Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia, we are located Australia wide and neighbouring countries, whilst also moving aircraft further around the world each and every year. We don’t just operate within Australia; we operate throughout the world.

Over the years, we have been an integral part in the development of projects such as the Isolair 214 Tsunami fire fighting tank, Kawak hover-fill pump, Bio Security Fire Ant Eradication Program, and the Lord Howe Island “Weed Eradication Program”, all of which required innovative ways to solve complex problems.

McDermott Aviation holds CASA Air Operator Certificate for Domestic and International Operations, is OH&S Compliant, and ISO 9001:2015 Quality Assured. We are ‘Flight Safety Approved’ and routinely audited by some of the largest companies and organization’s in the world, proving we can ensure all client standards are met or exceeded.

Mission Statement

Our aim is to always satisfy the needs of our clients, while complying with CASA and other regulatory requirements.  We will achieve this through a high standard of reliability, technical expertise and attention to detail.

Our motto is ‘Lateral Solutions to Vertical Challenges’