Construction has begun on a new training facility that will upskill up to 4,500 Qantas and Jetstar pilots each year.
The multi-million-dollar facility will be home to up to eight full motion simulators and is situated in St Peters, close to Sydney Airport.
Senior Qantas and Jetstar training captains will train pilots from the two airlines while global training provider CAE will maintain all simulators and training equipment, and manage the centre’s day-to-day operations as part of a long-term agreement.
Flight Simulator. (iStock – baranozdemir)
Qantas and Jetstar pilots typically do four simulator sessions per year to remain current in their formal qualifications and up to 15 sessions when training for a new aircraft type.
The Qantas Group expects to create more than 8,500 highly skilled jobs in Australian aviation over the next decade as it takes delivery of hundreds of new aircraft and grows its network. This includes 1,600 new positions for pilots and 4,500 new roles for cabin crew, with many to be trained at the new facility.
“Qantas provides training for thousands of pilots and cabin crew each year and this purpose-built facility will ensure our high training standards continue as we introduce the next generation of aircraft, grow our network and create new high skilled jobs,” CEO, Qantas, Alan Joyce, said.
CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation, Nick Leontidis, said at today’s ceremony, “We are thrilled to be breaking ground on this new training centre with the Qantas Group, a company that shares our unwavering commitment to safety.
“CAE Sydney will be a state-of-the-art training centre with advanced full-flight simulators, including a brand new A320 FFS, that will deliver immersive training, and give pilots the skill and confidence they need for the moments that matter in flight.
“CAE operates 50+ civil aviation training centres around the world and we look forward to bringing our expertise to Sydney to deliver an exceptional training experience for Qantas Group pilots and cabin crew.”
“We’re thrilled to create this facility for CAE and Qantas as the first of its kind in Sydney, with custom-built, complex infrastructure specialised for flight simulators, head of Australia and New Zealand, LOGOS, Darren Searle, said.
With the completion of this centre, Qantas will conduct flight training in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney, in addition to the Qantas Group Pilot Academy in Toowoomba.
Full-motion simulators and fixed flight training devices (FTD) to be located at the new Sydney Flight Training Centre:
- A380
- A350
- A330
- A320
- B787
- B738
- A380 FTD
- A330 FTD
- B787 FTD