$3.4 million investment to bring 100 jobs and new Pilot Academy to Wollongong Airport

Wollongong Airport is set for a major expansion, with the NSW Government committing $1.72 million toward a new purpose-built Aircraft Maintenance Hangar and Pilot Training Academy — matched dollar-for-dollar by Performance Aviation, bringing the total investment to $3.42 million. The project, announced in November 2025, will see Performance Aviation — which has been based at Wollongong Airport for over 25 years — construct a new facility known as Hangar 6. The investment is expected to support up to 100 direct and indirect jobs for the Illawarra region, covering roles from flight instruction and aircraft engineering to parachute packing and administration. The new hangar will provide aircraft maintenance and pilot training services to local, regional, interstate and international operators, while also establishing a Skydive Australia hub at the airport — including a parachute rigging and repair facility. The facility will also support the Australia Jump Pilot Academy, an Illawarra-based flight training organisation recently recognised as CASA’s Flight Training Business of the Year, with enhanced training facilities and turboprop endorsements. Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park described the airport as “a cornerstone of the region’s aviation capability,” saying the investment would cement its future as “a powerhouse for local jobs, skills and innovation.” Performance Aviation currently employs more than 25 engineering staff at its Wollongong Airport workshop, with additional facilities in Mareeba (QLD) and Wanaka (New Zealand). Learn more about businesses at WOL →