Qantas today announced that the first of two new flight training academies will be built at Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba, Queensland.
The facility is scheduled to be opened at the privately-owned airport sometime in 2019.
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," he said. "For many of them, the journey will start right here in Toowoomba.
“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."
Construction of the Qantas Group Pilot Academy at Wellcamp is expected to start next month, with much of the $35 million price tag being funded from private partners.
Qantas has said that it will build two academy sites, with Alice Springs, Bendigo, Busselton, Dubbo, Launceston, Mackay, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga still under consideration for the second.
The airline has appointed US firm L3 Commercial Aviation to run the training academy using modern, glass-cockpit aircraft.