Flying rings around the competition

The Airline Academy of Australia, based at Brisbane's Archerfield Airport, is one of just three Qantas-
approved training organisations in Australia, and the only Queensland-based school with the airline's tick of approval.

The academy, which is the training provider for Griffith University, was also selected by Boeing Alteon to undertake flight training for the beta test of Alteon's Multi-Crew Pilot Licensing (MPL) program.

Airline Academy CEO Stewart Cameron said Alteon surveyed most flight schools in Australia before making its decision, and he attributes the choice to the academy's high standards.

"We honour our obligations to cadets in training," Mr Cameron said.

"We're not making a grab for large numbers of students, then trying to work out how to train them, we're focused on producing professional pilots with a clear focus on Crew Resource Management and Threat and Error Management skillsets.

"We run a dedicated operations cell, not unlike the airlines and not unlike the military.

"We're very disciplined in terms of ramp-in, ramp-out times - our students and instructors have a window in which they must be departing and getting back in.

"It's not unlike Qantas getting a plane to a gate, and away."

The Academy is effectively a Cessna school, operating a fleet of 20 aircraft including Garmin 1000-equipped C-172s, but also flies both Beechcraft and Piper twin-engined aircraft.

Employing around 25 flight instructors, many of whom have extensive airline and military experience, the Academy boasts a low staff turnover rate due to an active program which works with instructors to develop their career paths.

To date, the Academy has not actively marketed into Asia or the Middle East, meanings its student base is around 85 per cent domestic.

"Right now we're quite comfortable in our market growth," Mr Cameron said.

"We have more than enough work from Griffith [University], through Qantas, and through the three self-sponsored courses run throughout the year.

"Planned growth includes moving into both the Middle East and Asia."

The Airline Academy of Australia is owned by the Royal Queensland Aero Club, the oldest continuous private flight training organisation in the world.