“Four months before the first *Qantas pilot academy is due to open at Toowoomba’s Wellcamp Airport, the training provider has pulled out of the project and building designs are still to be finalised and lodged with the local council.
The US-based L3 Commercial Training Solutions confirmed the split with Qantas, but would not divulge the reason.
A statement provided by L3 Commercial Training Solutions said “we have been unable to reach an agreement to move the project forward at this time, however, we wish Qantas all the best in their next steps to open a world-class facility”.
Under the original contract, L3 Commercial Training was expected to provide trainers and about 40 single and twin-engine aircraft to the academy, with a view to training 100 pilots in the first year and up to 250 in subsequent years.
Qantas is expected to announce a new training provider in coming weeks and said the academy remained on track for a mid-year opening.
Wellcamp Airport was announced the winner of a national competition for the training academy last year, due to the owners’ ability to deliver the facilities by July.
Toowoomba’s Wagner family famously built the airport in just 19 months, and is believed to have stumped up considerable funds for the $35 million project, along with the Queensland government.
This week, John Wagner said the academy was progressing to plan but he declined to comment on the question over the training provider.
The executive manager of the Qantas Group Pilot Academy Wes Nobelius said it had been “a busy couple of months for the academy team with detailed design work under way”.
Designs for all of the facilities including hangars, classroom and accommodation were expected to be lodged with Toowoomba *Regional Council in coming weeks.
But student accommodation would not be completed before the academy opened.
“Naturally it takes time to have facilities designed, approved and built so to make sure we can start training as soon as possible, we’re looking at temporary accommodation for the first intake of students mid-year,” Mr Nobelius said
Qantas is understood to have had strong interest from budding pilots and a scholarship program was being developed to help some students achieve their dream.
The airline is yet to announce the location of a second pilot training academy, with eight regional centres in the running including Bendigo, Launceston, Wagga Wagga, Busselton, Alice Springs, Mackay and Dubbo.
Tamworth was scratched from the race after announcing a deal with Virgin Australia. The rival carrier is yet to announce a training partner but is believed to be looking at several options including the Hainan Airlines, Southern Cross University and CAE.”