Airbus Australia has secured Civil Aviation Safety Authority approval as a Part 21.J Civil Design Organisation, giving its Brisbane engineering team authority to conduct and approve defined civil-aircraft design work locally. The approval covers repairs, structural modifications and related technical data for general-aviation aircraft, large passenger aircraft and helicopters, supporting more self-sufficient engineering operations in Australia.
To obtain the approval, Airbus demonstrated that its Australian operation could design, certify and approve repair and modification solutions for civil aircraft. The authorisation was granted without additional limitations or conditions, within the organisation’s specified privileges and technical scope.
The Brisbane team’s responsibilities span structures, mechanical systems, electrical systems, instruments, radio systems and cabin systems. It can also appoint authorised persons to perform work within those privileges, reducing the need to refer each project to overseas or external design organisations.
CASA national manager for airworthiness and engineering Richard Stocker confirmed that the regulator would continue overseeing Airbus’s Australian operations under established procedures. The approval expands local engineering capability as Airbus’s Australasian fleet grows, including through expected Qantas operations with A220s and A350-1000s, and supports repair, modification and MRO activity across the regional civil aviation market.