STEM Careers | Light your future – flying safer, for longer
Madeleine Burchill
Madeleine Burchill keeps the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flying safer for longer, through her expertise in predictive maintenance.
Utilising a wing-testing platform, Madeleine anticipates potential structural issues in fighter jets, allowing for preemptive repairs. Currently, she's gearing up for the deployment of the latest Joint Strike Fighter.
STEM Australia – a Journey Begins
Madeleine's career started with an aerospace engineering degree from RMIT and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Melbourne. A year later she joined DSTG, focusing on early detection of mechanical faults in gearboxes and engines.
That eventually evolved to preserving the operational capability of the F111, a pivotal aircraft in Australia's history from 1973 to 2010. By developing models for critical structural components, she facilitated necessary modifications and repairs to keep these ageing aircraft safely in service.
Recently, Madeleine dedicated 30 months to collaborating with the US Navy, evaluating both the Super Hornet and the new Joint Strike Fighter. Her latest efforts concentrate on preparing the Joint Strike Fighter for seamless integration into RAAF operations, ensuring readiness for pilots and engineers alike.
