Aviation Pathways a Possibility!.

Regional Express (Rex) and Mangalore Airport Pty Limited (MAPL) announced today that they have signed an MOU for a Joint Venture to create a new Professional Pilot Academy to be named the Civil Aviation Training Academy (CATA).

IT does not often happen that a rural-region sees a new and emerging industry develop that has such obvious global links including a range of training and employment opportunities.....

What should be the next step for the Education and Training sector in this region? We have a few thoughts!!

A pilot training academy will open at Mangalore Airport near Seymour in Victoria's North later this year.

The pilot school will be a joint venture between the airline Regional Express (Rex) and Mangalore Airport.

The academy is planning to take 80 students in its first year of operation but has plans to grow the intake to 350 a year in the future.

The first 20 students are expected to start in December.

The airline has previously said there is a shortage of pilots and that small airlines lose out in the competition for staff.

Mangalore airport's General Manager, Captain Keith Wallace, says the pilot school will also create dozens of local jobs.

“The owners have invested heavily in upgrades to the airport, such as a Fibre-optic LAN to connect all the students, learning centre and administration. Runway 18/36 has been recently resurfaced. An examination centre has been created for Assessment Services Pty Ltd to enable students to sit for CASA theory examinations at Mangalore Airport”

“Captain Wallace stated that the investment to date in buildings, runway works, and infrastructure has been achieved without financial assistance from any sources, and the project is being shaped as the focal point of an Aviation Cluster, with the central role of providing an internationally competitive training solution for the airline industry. In doing so, other aviation related industries and activities will be introduced to the Goulburn Valley Region of Central Victoria, and beyond”

"The ripple down effects into the whole area is going to be very beneficial," said Captain Wallace.

[Source: ABC News and Rex Airlines ]

[Central Ranges LLEN News]
9:03:45 PM