where did you hear about L3 being the provider?

It’s also in Qantas’ press release available here.

So he obviously has no interest in attracting the BEST? May be getting them at the moment, but that’s only because of years of no recruitment and a large pool of pilots who want to work for QF in that time.

But once that pool has dried up.....?

Of the 18000 that have an expression of interest, 16% are female.

Will be interesting to see what percentage of the first intake will be female...

”Addressing the gendar imbalance is the key to meeting market demand for pilots”

With approx 15120 of the 18000 applicants being male, I beg to differ.

This EOI number is akin to “the fish I caught was this biiigggg”. It grows every time it’s quoted. Ultimately all it is is an email address typed into a box with the submit button hit, close to worthless.

457 Visas ?

And all the imported LAME’s will have their CASA tickets by next July?

Queensland and Near Toowoomba Air Services as qouted in the Courier Mail last week.

Former flight instructors from within their own ranks.There are always pilots prepared to sacrifice for the company to climb the greasy pole.

I’ve read the headline that QF is no longer partnering with L3....or vice versa.

anyone know more?

is this another redQ? Another over promise and under deliver example? It’s gone pretty quiet of late

The whole thing has gone very quiet!

It was a vain attempt to make pilots think they are an easy to produce commodity timed to coincide with contract negotiation. The shortage we were never going to have us happening.

“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.”

Meanwhile FTA (Flight Training Adelaide) who are hemmed in at Parafield have “soft started” a satellite training facility at Port Lincoln with four aircraft and completed ab initio training of reportedly Cebu Air students and now training reportedly Indigo students. The relatively uncluttered airspace on lower Eyre Peninsula is proving beneficial for FTA but local rec flyers are getting annoyed by the extra traffic particularly as FTA have a Development Application lodged for a multimillion dollar facility at Port Lincoln airport with up to 22 aircraft, an additional 65000 movements a year and decommissioning of an essential gravel runway. The natives are getting really restless particularly as the District Council of Lower Eyre Peninsula have failed to consult widely with the broader community of ratepayers.

QF and the Wagners all wanted too bigger slice of the profit pie for providing the fancy new facilities and student pool.

L3 told Qantas that instructors wouldn’t want to pay for the privilege of training future QF pilots leaving Alan dumbfounded.
“it really is unbelievable that instructors expect to be paid to fly these wonderful new machines,” said Alan.

The Qantas Flight Training Group executive were seen left scratching their nuts in a familiar teapot stance as L3 walked away leaving Qantas to wonder what providers are left that haven’t already been consumed by overseas airline academies.

Alan was heard screaming “you’ll be back!” as L3 were seen taking off on their private jet to establish another training facility this time in Portugal for 500 cadets a year.