Qantas announces first location for pilot academy

By Alexandra Coulton

Qantas has made the long-awaited announcement that saw regional towns across the nation face-off for the chance to house a new pilot training academy.

Toowoomba in southern Queensland will be the first of two regional locations for its new Pilot Academy, due to open its doors by mid-2019.

The Academy is part of the Qantas Group’s strategy to build a long-term talent pipeline for its own airlines and help the broader industry meet the increasing need for skilled aviators.

Estimates suggest that 790,000 more pilots will be required globally over the next 20 years with around one-third of them in the Asia Pacific.

Toowoomba is the first of two locations chosen from a shortlist of nine regional cities, with Alice Springs, Bendigo, Busselton, Dubbo, Launceston, Mackay, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga still under consideration for the second academy site.

Toowoomba

Selection criteria include access to uncongested airspace, a high proportion of clear weather days per year, access to support infrastructure and ability to attract students and trainers to live in the area.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the airport, state and local government, and the community had demonstrated that Toowoomba would make a great home for the first Qantas Group Pilot Academy site.

“Qantas has a well-earned reputation of having some of the world’s best pilots. For many of them, the journey will start right here in Toowoomba,” Joyce said.

“Toowoomba will be an amazing place to learn to fly. It’s home to Australia’s newest airport and offers over 300 days of Queensland sunshine each year and an environment that is textbook for pilot training.

“The region itself is a great place to live, work and study. We’ve already had many students express their interest in moving to Toowoomba for this pilot training.

“In partnership with the Queensland Government and the Wagner Corporation, who own the airport, we’ll build state-of-the-art training facilities and student accommodation. What we’re ultimately creating is a world-class pilot school for students from Australia and around the globe.”

Wellcamp Airport

Construction of the Academy’s new facilities at Wellcamp Airport will commence next month with the first students to commence training in mid-2019. The investment in new infrastructure is estimated at $35 million, with the majority of this funding contributed from private sector partners.

It is expected that building the facilities at Toowoomba will create more than 100 direct jobs and around 300 indirect jobs in the local construction industry. The Academy site will create ongoing employment for up to 160 people in training and support roles, plus significant flow on opportunities for local businesses.

The Academy is expected to eventually grow to train as many as 500 pilots a year across two sites, including for other airlines and general aviation. A decision on the second site will be made before the end of the year.

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pilot shortage qantas Qantas pilot academy Towoomba Wellcamp Airport