Aviation pilots will receive training though a flight simulator aimed at increasing defence and emergency skills.

The Ansett Aviation Training Facility in Tullamarine will train personnel after obtaining the Hawker Beechcraft King Air B350 simulator, which is the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region.

CAE Training, a training body that specialises in global civil aviation and defence training and leases space in the Ansett Aviation Training Centre will operate the simulator.

Minister for Aviation, Gordon Rich-Phillips said pilots working in defence and emergency services will now be able to train at home rather than having to travel to the United States.

“Melbourne has Australia’s highest concentration of aviation and aerospace education and training facilities,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

He said the state government will continue to work with aviation training providers to strengthen the local industry and improve access to aviation technology.

According to Mr Rich-Phillips, the centre will create economic benefits to strengthen Victoria’s growing aviation industry which contributes more than $1 billion to the state’s economy annually.

“The King Air B350 simulator will create new jobs and provide further security to existing maintenance teams at the Ansett Aviation Training Facility,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.

About 25 operators have expressed interest in using the simulator, spanning across Australia, New Zealand and Asia, including the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Flying Doctors Service, Mr Rich-Phillips said.

He said the King Air sits alongside 11 other full flight simulators and a cabin training used by major airlines to train cabin crew.
 

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