CQ University Senior Lecturer Dr Mike Malouf believes Australia is about to experience a jump in demand for commercial pilots as airline travel returns to more normal levels.
Malouf, who was just been made a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, believes that airlines will strive to return to normal levels, but will be hampered by pilots electing to retire rather than resume flying after being stood down. He believes the situation equal opportunity for new airline pilots.
“There will soon be a huge movement in aviation," he says. "Pre-COVID the world was needing almost 800,000 airline pilots, of which 261,000 had to be sourced from the Asia Pacific.
“While airlines have been affected by border closures and lockdowns, they are starting to rally – 10% of airline pilots who were stood down during the pandemic will not return to airline flying due to age and other reasons, leaving room for young aspiring pilots."
Malouf bases his conclusions on what the airlines have been telling CQUni and the demand for training partnerships with universities. Recently CQ University has entered into several training partnerships with a number of aviation companies, including creating a new flying school in Cairns.
“CQUni has a keen relationship with the major airlines and knows what industry wants," Malouf points out. "We work hard to implement these expectations into the theory we teach at university, and into the curriculum our flight providers follow for practical flight instruction.
“With the movement of general aviation pilots into the airlines, and the recognition CQUni aviation students are getting from industry because of the high standard they’re achieving, our students will be exposed to myriad flying opportunities in the near future."
CQ University offers aviation qualifications including CPL courses in Bundaberg, Cairns and Perth.