What Field Air Group does

Field Air Group of Companies is a privately held Australian aviation group founded in 1963 and headquartered at Ballarat Airport, Mitchell Park, Victoria. It operates four interrelated business lines: aircraft sales (as the sole authorized Air Tractor dealer for the Asia Pacific region across 13+ countries), aircraft maintenance (CASA-licensed with 15+ engineers, eight LAMEs, and PT6A hot section inspection capability), aerial agricultural operations (precision spraying, spreading, seeding, fertilizing, and baiting across Victoria and NSW from bases at Ballarat, Finley, Deniliquin, Hay, Jerilderie, and Sea Lake), and firebombing services (six AT-802F SEATs plus partnership-operated AVRO RJ85 and Q400AT Large Air Tankers under multi-year government contracts secured through at least 2025). The company runs turbine-powered Air Tractor fleets equipped with GPS guidance (TracMap, Tabula, Satloc), computer-controlled bombing doors, flow control, and DataVault tracking systems, and also operates a free classifieds marketplace for the Australian and New Zealand aerial agricultural community.

The company's revenue mechanics span one-time aircraft and parts sales (aircraft priced USD $190K to USD $1.3M depending on model and year), professional services for aerial application (typically contracted per-hectare or per-job with pilot remuneration at 15% of turnover), government firebombing contracts (fixed availability and call-when-needed SEAT and Large Air Tanker engagements), and maintenance services. Customers include Australian state fire agencies (Victoria, NSW, and eastern seaboard), the Australian Plague Locust Commission, rural agricultural producers, forestry operators, general aviation owners, and Asia Pacific aerial application operators. Strategic partnerships underpin the firebombing capability: a joint partnership with Conair Group of Canada (active since 2010-2011) brings Large Air Tanker platforms, while original equipment relationships with Air Tractor, Pratt & Whitney, and De Havilland Canada anchor the maintenance and distribution ecosystem.

The group is privately held with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no public listing. Operating subsidiaries include Field Air (Riverina) Pty Ltd for NSW operations. Headcount is reported at 25, though the on-demand nature of seasonal fire and agricultural crews suggests a larger operational footprint in peak periods.

Name

Field Air Group

Legal name

Field Air Group of Companies

Website

https://fieldair.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Field Air Group is a privately held Australian aviation company, founded in 1963, operating aircraft sales (sole Air Tractor Asia Pacific dealer), aerial agricultural application, firebombing services, and aircraft maintenance across Australia and 13+ Asia Pacific countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Aviation Services

NAICS

Aircraft Manufacturing (336411), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Aircraft & Parts (3720), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft Engines & Engine Parts (3724)

akta.pro primary industry

Manned Aerial Application (Fixed-Wing & Helicopter Crop Dusting) (AFACAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerial Firefighting & Wildland Fire Suppression (Agricultural Interface) (AFACAIAI), Aerial Spreading (Seed, Granular Inputs, Baits) (AFACAIAL), Aerial Vector Control & Public Health Spraying (Mosquito/Locust) (AFACAIAK), Aviation Ground Handling & Air Cargo Operations (EDAOANAM)

Keywords

• Aerial agricultural services
• Aerial firefighting
• Agricultural aircraft sales
• Aircraft maintenance services
• Fixed wing firebombing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mitchell Park (Ballarat Airport)

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Aircraft Sales: Sales of new and used agricultural aircraft (Air Tractor, Cessna, Thrush models), aircraft parts and accessories through the Asia Pacific dealership region.
2. Aircraft Maintenance Services: Routine and overhaul maintenance on general aviation, piston and turbine aircraft including Air Tractor aircraft. Includes PT6A engine maintenance, hot section inspections, weight and balance, and certificates of airworthiness.
3. Aerial Agricultural Operations: Precision aerial application services for fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, seeding, and baiting operations across Victoria and NSW with operational bases at Ballarat, Finley, and Deniliquin.
4. Firebombing Services: Contract and Call When Needed Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) to fire agencies, as well as Large Air Tanker operations through Conair partnership.
5. Aircraft Parts Sales: Sales of aviation parts, accessories, and equipment through the classifieds platform and direct sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Field Air Group is a diversified Australian aviation company operating since 1963 across four integrated divisions: (1) Aircraft Sales as the sole authorized Air Tractor dealer for the Asia Pacific region, offering the complete Air Tractor range from AT-402B through AT-802 variants; (2) Aerial Agricultural Operations providing precision GPS-guided spraying, spreading, seeding, and baiting across Victoria and NSW; (3) Firebombing Services delivering both proprietary AT-802F SEATs and partnership-operated AVRO RJ85/Q400AT Large Air Tankers to government fire agencies; and (4) Aircraft Maintenance covering routine, overhaul, PT6A engine hot section inspections, and certifications for general aviation, piston, and turbine aircraft.

Product overview

Field Air Group is a diversified aviation company offering a comprehensive portfolio of aviation services since 1963. The core offerings include: (1) Aircraft Sales and Dealership — as the authorized Air Tractor dealer for the Asia Pacific region, selling the complete Air Tractor range from AT-402B through AT-802 variants including agricultural, firefighting (SEAT), amphibious (Fire Boss), fuel delivery (Fuel Boss), and military ISR configurations; (2) Aerial Agricultural Operations — precision aerial application using turbine-powered Air Tractor aircraft for spraying, spreading, seeding, fertilizing, and baiting across Victoria and New South Wales; (3) Firebombing Services — fixed wing firefighting with both proprietary AT-802F SEATs and partnership-operated Large Air Tankers (AVRO RJ85 and Q400AT); (4) Aircraft Maintenance — routine and overhaul maintenance, PT6A engine services, assembly, modification, and certification services; and (5) an online Classifieds Platform connecting the aerial agricultural and firebombing community. Field Air operates from bases at Ballarat (Victoria), Finley and Deniliquin (NSW Riverina), with additional facilities at Hay, Jerilderie (NSW), and Sea Lake (Victoria Mallee). The company also distributes complementary equipment brands including Pratt & Whitney, TracMap GPS navigation, Tabula GPS, Garmin avionics, Kawak throttle controls, Agrinautics pumps and spray valves, Crophawk flow control, Micronair sprayers, CP spray nozzles, Transland fire and spreading equipment, StormCutters wire protection, and DataVault tracking systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aircraft Sales Division Authorized Air Tractor dealer for the Asia Pacific region selling new Air Tractor agricultural and firefighting aircraft, spare parts, and support to operators across Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asia Pacific countries.
• Aerial Agricultural Operations Precision aerial application services using GPS-guided turbine-powered Air Tractor aircraft for agricultural spraying, spreading, seeding, fertilizing, and baiting operations across Victoria and New South Wales, including mouse baiting and plague locust control.
• Firebombing Services Fixed wing aerial firefighting services delivering Contract and Call When Needed Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) using a fleet of six AT-802F aircraft, plus Large Air Tanker operations (AVRO RJ85 and Q400AT) through the Conair partnership, to fire agencies across South Eastern Australia during fire season.
• Aircraft Maintenance Comprehensive maintenance services for general aviation, piston, and turbine aircraft including Air Tractor models, with capabilities including routine maintenance, overhaul, PT6A engine hot section inspections, assembly, modification, weight and balance, and certificates of airworthiness. Operated by a team of 15+ engineers including 8 Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAMEs).
• Air Tractor Asia Pacific Dealership Network Authorized regional dealership network covering Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian and Pacific countries, providing aircraft sales, spare parts, and maintenance support for Air Tractor operators throughout the region.
• Field Air Classifieds Platform Free online classifieds marketplace for the aerial agricultural and firebombing community, supporting listings for aircraft sales, parts, equipment, pilot positions, and ground personnel across Australia and New Zealand with ads running for up to 60 days.
• Air Tractor AT-802F Firebomber Purpose-built single engine air tanker for firefighting operations, operated by Field Air as part of its six-aircraft SEAT fleet on contract and call-when-needed availability to fire agencies.
• AVRO RJ85 Large Air Tanker Operations Four-engine large air tanker with 12,253 litre capacity and dispatch speed up to 425 knots (787 km/hr), operated as part of the Conair-Fleld Air partnership and based in Australia for fire season operations.
• Q400AT Large Air Tanker Operations De Havilland Dash 8-400 converted airtanker with 10,000 litre external tank and proprietary Retardant Delivery System (RDS), powered by Pratt & Whitney PW 150A turboprop engines, operated in partnership with Conair since 2021.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero crop damage with aerial application compared to ground application
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Conair Group of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Joint partnership between Conair Group of Canada and Field Air commenced in 2010/2011. Initially provided two Convair CV580 MEATs to Victoria for trial. Partnership evolved to bring Avro RJ85 Large Air Tankers to Australia since 2014, and De Havilland Dash 8-400 AT (Q400AT) since 2021. Aircraft operate during Australian fire season, based at Avalon Airport (VIC) and Dubbo Airport (NSW), working fires across all eastern states.
• Air TractorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorField Air is the sole authorized dealer for Air Tractor aircraft in the Asia Pacific Region. Dealership covers Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Asian/Pacific countries. Responsibilities include aircraft sales, spare parts, and maintenance support.
• De Havilland CanadastrategicTechnology or IntegrationOriginal equipment manufacturer for the Q400 aircraft platform. Through the Field Air / Conair partnership, the Q400AT has full support from De Havilland Canada, ensuring the aircraft will continue to fly for decades. The Q400AT has been operating in Australia since 2021 under secured contract until at least 2025.
• Pratt & WhitneystrategicTechnology or IntegrationEngine manufacturer for Air Tractor aircraft. Field Air's AT-802F SEATs are fitted with Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67F engines. Maintenance division is licensed to conduct Hot Section Inspections on PT6A turbine engines.
• AAAA (Australian Aerial Application Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association membership for aerial agricultural operators. AAAA dangerous goods exemption allows certain ground support equipment to operate under regulatory exemptions for refueling operations.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Embraer: Brazilian aerospace OEM whose Ipanema agricultural aircraft is a leading ag-aviation platform in South America and an emerging alternative globally. Embraer is a broad incumbent whose agricultural product competes with Air Tractor for share in precision farming markets.
• Thrush Aircraft: US manufacturer of agricultural aircraft (Thrush 510, 710) that competes head-to-head with Air Tractor in the global ag-aviation market. While Field Air is a distributor, Thrush represents the principal competitive alternative whose aircraft Field Air's dealership actively displaces across the Asia Pacific.
• Textron Aviation (Cessna): Manufacturer of Cessna agricultural aircraft (188, AgTruck series) and broader general aviation platforms. Field Air sells Cessna aircraft alongside Air Tractor, and Textron is a broad incumbent whose ag-aviation product line competes for the same agricultural customers.

Direct peers

• Conair Group: Canadian-based aerial firefighting company operating the Avro RJ85 and Q400AT large air tankers. Conair is both Field Air's strategic partner in Australia and a directly comparable operator of LATs globally, serving government fire agencies with similar mission profiles and aircraft types.
• Precision Aviation Group: US-based provider of aerial application services and aircraft support for agricultural operators. Comparable to Field Air's combined operations/maintenance offering, particularly in precision ag flying and contract aviation services.
• 10 Tanker Air Carrier: US-based operator of very large air tankers (DC-10 VLATs) for government wildfire suppression. Directly comparable to Field Air/Conair's RJ85 and Q400AT operations in providing contracted large air tanker services to fire agencies.
• Coulson Aviation: US/Canadian operator of large air tankers (C-130, Boeing 737) and SEATs providing aerial firefighting services to government agencies worldwide. Directly comparable to Field Air's fixed-wing firebombing division in mission, customer base, and contract structure.
• Air Ag: Australian aerial application operator providing agricultural spraying and spreading services across regional Australia. Direct domestic peer to Field Air's agricultural operations division with overlapping crop types, GPS-guided application, and rural customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rj85australia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/field-air

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Field Air Group