Sky's the limit as CQUniversity joins forces with Aircraft Australia and Mackay Airport on flight training

A new partnership between CQUniversity' Aircraft Australia and the Mackay Airport will aim to enhance flight training and air travel services in the Mackay region.

Through the partnership' CQUni Mackay aviation students will have pathway opportunities to have a career with newcomer Aircraft Australia at Mackay Airport.

CQUni's Head of Aviation Professor Doug Drury said having an additional provider in Aircraft Australia in Mackay would provide CQUni students with more opportunities to train to become pilots.

"Potential students who want to train in Mackay will be able to choose which provider they want to train with'" Prof Drury said.

"CQUni will provide all the classroom work for the Bachelor of Aviation and the Aircraft Australia will provide the flight training as a Graduate Diploma with CQUni."

Prof Drury said Aircraft Australia has indicated it can train up to 150 students a year.

"CQUni will see a percentage of those students sign up for the Bachelor of Aviation' as this is what the industry wants to see. Students with these degrees are a proven commodity'" he said.

"All the CQUni students will be training for the Commercial Pilots License with a Multi-engine Instrument rating which will qualify them to fly in the airlines.

"Aircraft Australia will be offering charter services in addition to flight training which translates to more opportunities to travel with a specialised itinerary."

Aircraft Australia joins Horizon Airways in offering Mackay local students pathway opportunities to exciting careers in pilot training' aircraft engineering and aviation operations.

Aircraft Australia's Chief Executive Officer Steven Alves said the new partnership with Mackay Airport provided an important opportunity for high-quality training for the pilots of tomorrow.

"Mackay is the perfect location with excellent year-round weather and it's an ideal location for us to be expanding our operations into'" he said.

"Aircraft Australia has trained thousands of pilots since we began operations back in 2010 through our centres in Redcliffe and Bundaberg and this centre in Mackay means we now have the capacity to train up to 500 students a year in Queensland.

"Through our partnership with Mackay Airport and CQUniversity we are looking forward to enrolling around 80 students in Mackay and this means we'll now have the capacity to train in excess of 150 local students a year."

North Queensland Airports Chief Executive Officer Richard Barker said he was delighted to welcome Aircraft Australia to Mackay Airport' further realising the Airport's ambition to become an aviation education hub for the next generation of pilots.

"After what has been an incredibly difficult 18 months' the announcement this week of a new service provider is a real vote of confidence for Mackay and the airline industry as it rebuilds from the pandemic'" he said.

"Expanding our aircraft training and charter services maintenance is a big part of our vision for the Airport and the articulation Aircraft Australia has in place with CQUniversity means local students have an opportunity to complete their training right here in Mackay."