Qantas announced on Wednesday that it will set up its own pilot training academy to address what it says is a pilot shortage.
The new $20 million academy is due to open in 2019, and will be based at a regional airport yet to be announced. According to Qantas, the academy will train initially 100 pilots per year for direct entry into Qantas, Jetstar and regional carrier Qantaslink.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the academy would become a critical part of the national carrier’s long term plans.
“Qantas has a proud history of having some of the best pilots in the world and we want to make sure it stays that way. By creating our own academy, we can train the next generation of pilots to the Qantas Group standard.
“Boeing estimates the world will need about 640,000 more pilots in the next 20 years, with 40% in the Asia Pacific region. That level of demand makes the academy important not just for Qantas but for Australian aviation more broadly so that all parts of the industry have access to qualified pilots in a country that relies so heavily on air transport."
Typical students entering the academy will be high school and university graduates with strong academic performance. After up to 18 months of classroom, simulator and real-world flight training, students will then be trained specifically for the type of aircraft they will be flying before entering service as a First Officer on turbo-props, sitting next to an experienced Captain.
“Over time, we see potential for the academy to become a competitive advantage for Australia in the region," Joyce added. "It could train pilots for other airlines and grow into the largest academy of its kind in the southern hemisphere."
Qantas current sources pilots from a number of established flying academies around Australia, which is expected to continue to provide a diverse range of pilot skills.
More information is on the Qantas Group Pilot Academy website.