$25m aviation training facility for Bundaberg

[AnotherFSO]

From the federal industry dept. media release website:
https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/c-king/media-release/sod-turned-innovative-25-million-world-class-aviation-training-facility-bundabergSod turned on innovative $25 million world-class aviation training facility in BundabergToday marks the start of construction on a new world-class aviation training facility in Bundaberg.

Representatives from the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS), QCoal Foundation, Australian Government and Bundaberg Regional Council have gathered on site to celebrate ground being broken on the development, following Bundaberg-based Murchie Constructions being awarded with the contract to build the facility.

The new facility will be constructed next to the existing RFDS Bundaberg Base and house the only Beechcraft King Air Pro Line Fusion Full-Flight Simulator (FFS) in Australia.

Once built, RFDS pilots from across Queensland will spend at least two weeks at the training facility each year, while non-RFDS pilots will also be able to use the simulator for their endorsements or recurrent training for King Air aircraft.

The RFDS Aviation Training Facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.

The $25.3 million facility is jointly funded, with $14.9 million from the Australian Government and $3 million from QCoal Foundation. The land for the facility has been donated by Bundaberg Regional Council. RFDS will fund the remainder of the project through fundraising.

Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“The Australian Government is proud to be contributing nearly $15 million to make this critical project a reality.

“This will support the essential medical services of the RFDS by providing a world-class facility for training their pilots.

“It will also deliver a broader economic boost to Bundaberg and surrounds by supporting local jobs and attracting these pilots to visit, stay and shop in the region, while strengthening our domestic medical aviation capacity.”

Quotes attributable to Bundaberg Mayor Jack Dempsey:

“The council is pleased to support the new RFDS Aviation Training Facility through the donation of land adjoining its aeromedical base.

“It’s an incredible boon for Bundaberg to be chosen as the location for this new flight simulator which will be the first of its kind to be constructed in Australia.

“It’s going to create jobs here locally during construction and will attract at least 81 pilots every year to come here for a minimum of two weeks to do their training and get a taste of our beautiful region.

“As a former state minister it has long been my vision to see the Bundaberg Region established as a hub for emergency services training. With the upgrades to ambulance and fire services in recent years, along with the delivery of the aeromedical base and now this flight simulator, it’s fantastic to see these ambitions being realised.”

Quotes attributable to QCoal Foundation Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Bhatia:

“We recognise the significant value of this project for the RFDS and also for the Bundaberg region.

“We know diversification is key to ensuring the long-term resilience of regional communities and this project will drive that resilience in the Bundaberg region.

“We are also pleased to see a local contractor awarded this project and look forward to watching the progress of construction.”

Quotes attributable to RFDS (Queensland Section) Chief Executive Officer Meredith Staib:

“Today’s sod turning is an important milestone for the Flying Doctor.

“I’m incredibly excited to see work commence on our new Aviation Training Facility which will help support the ongoing training of our highly skilled pilots, as well as pilots from across Australia and Asia.

“This purpose-built facility will play a vital role as we head towards 100 years of the Flying Doctor, with innovative aviation and training technology on our doorstep helping to ensure the continuity of world-class training for our pilots and crew – allowing them to continue to provide the finest care to patients right across Queensland.

“This new facility simply wouldn’t be possible without the support of our long-standing partners QCoal Foundation, as well as the Australian Government and Bundaberg Regional Council – we’re enormously thankful for their support.”

Quotes attributable to Murchie Constructions Managing Director Andrew Murchie:

“As a local, family-owned business, we’re proud to have been awarded the contract to deliver this facility for the RFDS.”

[neville_nobody]

Other than politics why would you put a simulator in a country town?? How much money and duty hours are going to be wasted just getting to the thing when you can take one flight to Brisbane and go direct to the Sim Centre?

[tossbag]

Yeah, **** regional areas, good for nothing, time wasting, layabout regional towns and cities, close them down I say.

[Flying Binghi]

QCoal. Apart from suppling the world with a cheap power fuel source they also support their local regions..:cool:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/QCoal

[morno]

Other than politics why would you put a simulator in a country town?? How much money and duty hours are going to be wasted just getting to the thing when you can take one flight to Brisbane and go direct to the Sim Centre?

When you’ve got the only sim in the region, people will travel…..

The current B200/350 Sim is in the Sunshine Coast. No different really because most would have to fly to Brisy and drive to the Sunshine Coast.

[PiperCameron]

When you’ve got the only sim in the region, people will travel…..

The current B200/350 Sim is in the Sunshine Coast. No different really because most would have to fly to Brisy and drive to the Sunshine Coast.

Ahh, no, see Sunshine Coast got an upgrade recently also. Now folks can fly there directly. :)
https://www.sunshinecoastairport.com.au/corporate/expansion-project/project-background/

[Capt Fathom]

Ahh, no, see Sunshine Coast got an upgrade recently also. Now folks can fly there directly. :)


There has been direct flights to Maroochy for years, but mainly biased towards the tourist market. The upgrade had nothing to do with it.

[Captn Rex Havack]

Its a political grandstanding joke. Jobs for regional areas is the tune they're pedalling - of course there are heaps of simtechs and B350 instructors all hanging around Bundaberg unemployed aren't there. After the centre is built and the construction workers move on, there will be very few if any "jobs for regional areas". The personnel such as simtechs and instructors will all have to be imported - probably a few jobs
for admin staff
And when the B350 at Maroochy is sold off (that's what I'm putting my money on) everyone will be forced to Bundy - extra 2 paxing sectors for every pilot going there for OPCs and IPCs - that comes at great
expense to reasonable sized King Air companys such as Pelair and RFDS. And probably more accommodation nights as well due to lack of frequency and therefore less flexibility into and out of Bundy.

All up, a win win for nobody but the pollies.

Morno - were you pissed when you said fly to Brissy, drive to Maroochy? Not your finest PPRUNE moment.

[aussieflyboy]

Qantas are putting the new A220 Sim in Alice Springs so why not a Kingair Sim in Bundy!?

[morno]

Its a political grandstanding joke. Jobs for regional areas is the tune they're pedalling - of course there are heaps of simtechs and B350 instructors all hanging around Bundaberg unemployed aren't there. After the centre is built and the construction workers move on, there will be very few if any "jobs for regional areas". The personnel such as simtechs and instructors will all have to be imported - probably a few jobs
for admin staff
And when the B350 at Maroochy is sold off (that's what I'm putting my money on) everyone will be forced to Bundy - extra 2 paxing sectors for every pilot going there for OPCs and IPCs - that comes at great
expense to reasonable sized King Air companys such as Pelair and RFDS. And probably more accommodation nights as well due to lack of frequency and therefore less flexibility into and out of Bundy.

All up, a win win for nobody but the pollies.

Morno - were you pissed when you said fly to Brissy, drive to Maroochy? Not your finest PPRUNE moment.

No, not pissed. Because I realise that the Sunshine Coast has limited flights from around the country anyway. Not everyone can fly direct. Especially if you have someone from an international destination.​​​​​

How do you think existing RFDS pilots would get there?

[megle2]

Don’t forget the 50 odd new King Air pilots for the Qld Govt will have to go to either Bundaberg or Sunshine Coast

[Stationair8]

I believe that a large bequest was left to the RFDS from a Bundaberg family, for it to be used to go towards building the sim centre.

[Ex FSO GRIFFO]

AHA!..
And, the REAL reason is......??

Thankyou Mr 'Stationair'....

"Long Live The 'Regionals'.....",,,,

[Captn Rex Havack]

Morno - yeah fair point. I didn't think of guys flying from regional centres having to go to Brissy. My bad. Bonza will fix that though??????????

[morno]

Morno - yeah fair point. I didn't think of guys flying from regional centres having to go to Brissy. My bad. Bonza will fix that though??????????

Forgiven. Bonza might result in a few extra flights from regional areas, but still won’t cover them all. Plus the frequency is pathetic.

[Global Aviator]

Never let the facts get in the way of the facts.

Plus a few more options, not the backwater many are leading it to believe.

Fantastic for rural Australia!


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1120x2000/ed41a4be_974b_4dc4_84de_047a2f97c94d_2bb85c19c6b4241b05e5be7 eeca665e8bf780c56.jpeg

[Capt Fathom]

Ouch! Look at the price of those flights. :{

[Trevor the lover]

Fact is Global you are clearly not running a business where you have to get 50 pilots and checkies to Bundaberg twice a year for checks. No direct flights from anywhere except Brisbane and the Qld coast milk run. Those two extra sectors per pilot twice a year plus likely extra accom costs due to low flight frequency.....well they are gonna hurt some companies enormously if the Maroochy Sim disappears. Theyr'e the facts Global. But as long as all those unemployed Sim techs and aviation support people wandering around Bundy are looked after. Yep great for regional oz

[morno]

Yeah let’s centralise everything in the cities and close down regional areas. People who live in the country areas are vermin :rolleyes:

[tossbag]

FFS, get off your arses and get a hire car, quit ya ******* whinging and have a beer in Bundy and enjoy getting away form the city for a few days, as if you're effing paying for it.

[neville_nobody]

Yeah let’s centralise everything in the cities and close down regional areas. People who live in the country areas are vermin

Noone is saying that but when you have a facility that people commute into it really should be in a big city. All this is going to do is drive the cost of using the simulator up as you have to have a two sector flight, then you also have less competition for hotels etc etc. As mentioned before it's not just the RFDS but every GA operator with a King Air will have the same costs.

How long before some bean counter declares using a sim is too expensive? I'm surprised an RFDS accountant hasn't already choked on all the extra costs that will be incurred using this thing.

[Gunner747400]

Don't most cheapo GA King Air operators just use the Level B King Air sim at Ansett anyway?

[Global Aviator]

Fact is Global you are clearly not running a business where you have to get 50 pilots and checkies to Bundaberg twice a year for checks. No direct flights from anywhere except Brisbane and the Qld coast milk run. Those two extra sectors per pilot twice a year plus likely extra accom costs due to low flight frequency.....well they are gonna hurt some companies enormously if the Maroochy Sim disappears. Theyr'e the facts Global. But as long as all those unemployed Sim techs and aviation support people wandering around Bundy are looked after. Yep great for regional oz

Fact is Bundy is not the boondocks.

Aussie companies have sent pilots to China for recurrent, Singapore for recurrent, Miami for initials, the list goes on. Corporate jet companies fly pilots to USA, UAE, for recurrents.

Nope Bundy ain’t the Boonies. Yes point taken it’s not a capital city and it will add 2 days travel, far from ideal, however everyone using the sims will have the same expenses.

Anything to revive rural Aus has to be a great thing. Don’t like it don’t use the sims, you have choices, ahh what? The next sim is in the states which takes xyz days……..

Not havin a dig at ya mate, yes I do understand where you are coming from, just don’t think it’s as bad as you say.

Hopefully the Maroochy one stays as well.

[Captn Rex Havack]

Gday Global
I'm all for the regional areas. I grew up in the country, 4000 people town, and I live rural now. But before retiring I was rung by Ansett and asked "IF??? Maroochy closes and we have to use Bundy, how will that effect our company?" The numbers we ran were huge. Aviation is a wildly expensive business - this doesn't help. Yes I know some need to go overseas. I've been doing that myself for over 20 years. And that HAS to be done when there is no sim in Oz. But the fact remains - this move will cost many companys dearly.

Gunner - the old sim at Ansett is level B - cannot be used for IPCs and it is a 200, doesn't cover the 350.

Morno - I thought you were better than stupid sarcasm.

[tail wheel]

neville_nobody

The land for the facility has been donated by Bundaberg Regional Council.

That is infinitely cheaper than the obscene land rents at Brisbane Airport!

[morno]

Sorry Captn Rex, but I’m a big advocate for growing regional areas. It really gets on my nerves when people **** all over them and push for everything to be in the city. Not saying that you were necessarily doing this, just the vibe I was getting from a few.

Sure Bundy may not work for some, but Sunny Coast doesn’t work brilliantly for others as well, so it’d be no worse in a lot of cases.

As far as I’m aware, the B200/350 Proline sim in Maroochy will be remaining for a while. It sounds like RFDS will only be putting a B360 Fusion sim in to begin with. Not exactly a lot of them in Australia yet.

[neville_nobody]

That is infinitely cheaper than the obscene land rents at Brisbane Airport!

Cheaper for who?? Sure it's cheaper for the owner of the simulator. The end users meanwhile get screwed forever. Seen this in aviation on so many levels so many time. Someone in the office makes a decision that's cheap for them that introduces ongoing costs that everyone else pays for them and in some cases makes the business more inefficient. 'Oh but it was cheap' is always the justification.

[Stationair8]

The Townsville Refueller, reckons the Bundaberg Refueller will be working a lot harder now that the RFDS will be doing all these extra training flights out of Bundaberg!

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

neville_nobody



That is infinitely cheaper than the obscene land rents at Brisbane Airport!
I'd be very surprised if the RFDS is paying anywhere near rack rates at BNE.

[601]

I suppose city folk think that Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport is in the western suburbs of Brisbane near the Gap.
Build it and they will come
Brisbane West (https://www.wellcamp.com.au/)