Aerial firefighting
Air Attack is our primary role, supported by water bombing, reconnaissance, aerial incendiary and specialist fireground operations for fire agencies and land managers.
Airborne Engineering Solutions
Specialist helicopter operations
Aerial firefighting · Infrastructure inspection · Utility & external load · Tourism & charter
A fleet of five helicopters and more than 50,000 hours of flight experience, supporting emergency services, utilities, infrastructure providers and specialist projects across Australia.
NAFCApproved aircraft
50,000+ hoursFlight experience
5 helicoptersTwin and single-engine fleet
Air AttackPrimary firefighting role
What we do
Ready on the fireground and on the job
Aerial inspections
Specialist aerial inspection of power, telecommunications and critical infrastructure. We support asset assessment, corridor patrol and rapid response after storms, fires and floods.
Aerial crane & utility
Precision external-load operations, specialist lifting and remote logistics for infrastructure construction, maintenance and complex field operations.
Tourism & charter
Scenic flights, private and corporate charter, and transfers to remote properties and projects, with flexible scheduling and a direct line to the pilot.
Aerial firefighting
Air Attack first. Full fireground capability.
Air Attack is our primary operational role. We back it with fire suppression, reconnaissance and specialist fireground operations. Our engineering, telecommunications and technology background gives incident teams a more connected, technically capable aircraft overhead.
01 · Primary role
Air Attack
An airborne command platform for Air Attack Supervisors. We coordinate aircraft over the fireground and direct drops where they will have the most effect, with reconnaissance and fire mapping to keep incident controllers informed.
02
Water bombing
Initial attack and sustained bombing with underslung buckets on short or long line. We use approved Class A foam where the incident calls for it.
03
Aerial incendiary
Aerial ignition for hazard reduction and backburning operations, with the ability to switch to bucketing if a burn needs containing.
04
Fire support operations
Crew insertion and evacuation, supply and fodder drops to isolated properties and livestock, and post-fire impact assessments.
05
Extended campaigns
Our crews and aircraft can stay on task through long campaigns, with maintenance support arranged to keep each aircraft available.
06
Contracts & call-when-needed
Available for NAFC and state agency contracts, call-when-needed registers and direct engagement by councils, land managers and private landholders.
Mining support operations
Helicopter support for mining & exploration
From greenfield exploration to operating mine sites, we move people, equipment and materials where roads don't reach, with minimal ground disturbance and flexible tasking around your program.
01
Exploration drilling support
External-load rig moves, drill consumables, water and core sample retrieval for heli-supported drilling programs in remote and rugged terrain.
02
Crew & cargo transport
Moving field crews, geologists and contractors between camp, site and town, plus parts, equipment and camp resupply to remote locations.
03
Survey & reconnaissance
Geological reconnaissance, site scoping and an aerial platform for survey, mapping and imagery work across tenements and project areas.
04
Site infrastructure & lifting
Precision lifts for construction and maintenance, plus aerial inspection of powerlines, pipelines, haul roads, tailings and water infrastructure.
05
Environmental & low-impact access
Access to environmentally sensitive sites without cutting tracks, for environmental monitoring, sampling and rehabilitation work.
06
Bushfire & emergency response
Aerial firefighting and reconnaissance to protect mine assets, camps and infrastructure, backed by our Air Attack capability.
Planning an exploration program or need support on site? We'll work to your site safety requirements, inductions and reporting. AES is currently working towards BARS (Basic Aviation Risk Standard) accreditation.
Discuss your projectTourism & charter
Scenic flights from Archer Falls
See South East Queensland from the air. Every flight is private, so it's just you and your group, on a route we tailor to the occasion. Flights depart from our base at Archer Falls Airport, a short drive from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
Glass House Mountains
Circle the volcanic peaks of Beerwah, Tibrogargan and Coonowrin for one of the region's most striking views.
Somerset & Wivenhoe
Follow the lakes and valleys of the Brisbane River catchment, with the D'Aguilar Range rising alongside.
Maleny & Montville
Rainforest ridges, dairy country and hinterland villages along the Blackall Range, with the coast on the horizon.
Bribie Island & the beaches
Out over Pumicestone Passage and Bribie Island, then up the coastline from Caloundra towards Noosa.
Experiences
- Private scenic flights for couples, families and groups
- Birthdays, anniversaries and surprise proposals
- Winery and lunch flights to regional venues
- Photography and filming flights
Charter
- Corporate and VIP charter
- Transfers to properties, events and regional airports
- Site visits and aerial tours for landholders and developers
- Groups of up to six passengers, depending on aircraft
Tell us the occasion, your group size and where you'd like to go, and we'll put together a flight and a quote.
Plan your flightTechnology
Building the connected fireground
AES brings aviation together with an engineering, telecommunications and technology background. We see the future of aerial firefighting as more than an aircraft overhead. It means bringing aircraft, crews, communications, operational intelligence and safety systems together into a clearer, more connected picture of the fireground.
In development
AirOps
Our next-generation operations and safety platform, designed around the realities of specialist aviation. AirOps will bring aircraft, crews, operations and safety management into one connected operational environment.
- Aircraft and crew management
- Operations and tasking
- Integrated safety management
Who we work with
Trusted when time and safety count
We support emergency services, government and private operators on fire season contracts, one-off jobs and everything in between.
- State fire & emergency agencies
- Local councils
- Power & telecommunications utilities
- Infrastructure & construction
- Primary producers & landholders
- Mining & exploration
About us
Built for specialist operations
Airborne Engineering Solutions combines specialist helicopter operations with engineering, telecommunications and technology capability. We bring together aviation experience, technical understanding and operational discipline to support emergency services, utilities, infrastructure providers and specialist projects across Australia.
AES holds more than 50,000 hours of flight experience.
- A fleet of five helicopters, from twin-engine BO105s to the R44, ready for fire season and year-round commercial work
- Over 50,000 hours of flight experience, with pilots holding firefighting and external load endorsements
- An engineering, telecommunications and technology background behind our aviation operations
- NAFC-approved aircraft
- Rapid mobilisation from our base at Archer Falls Airport, South East Queensland
Our fleet
Five helicopters, four types
Our fleet runs from twin-engine BO105s to the economical R44, so we can match the right aircraft to each task and budget.
VH-NVI
MBB BO105 CBS-5
Twin-engine turbine
VH-NVH
MBB BO105 CBS-5
Twin-engine turbine
VH-EGJ
Airbus AS350 BA Squirrel
Single-engine turbine
VH-FKT
Bell 206L-1 LongRanger
Single-engine turbine
VH-WMS
Robinson R44 Raven II
Single-engine piston
Twin-engine capability
Our two MBB BO105 CBS-5 helicopters give you twin-engine performance and redundancy for demanding firefighting, utility and charter work. Every aircraft is maintained to a strict schedule so it is ready when the call comes.
Fire season contracts & standby
We provide aircraft and crew for pre-positioned standby, call-when-needed and season-long contracts. We work alongside incident management teams and other aircraft on the fireground.
External load & remote access
Need to move equipment, materials or water into terrain where vehicles can't go? We plan the lift, brief the ground crew and get it done safely.
Safety & compliance
Safety is how we operate
NAFC approved
Aircraft approved for national aerial firefighting arrangements
Safety management
A documented SMS, risk-assessed task planning and pre-job briefings
Fully insured
Aviation liability insurance appropriate to each role
Professionally maintained
Every aircraft is maintained by licensed aircraft maintenance engineers to a strict schedule
Get in touch
Talk to an operator
For fire season availability, charter bookings or a quote on aerial work, call us or send the form. During an active fire, please call.
- Phone
- 0413 902 444
- info@airborneengineeringsolutions.com
- Base
- Archer Falls Airport
1253 Neurum Rd, Mount Archer QLD 4514
Get directions → - Hours
- Office: Mon–Fri 7:00am–5:00pm
Fire season: on call 7 days