AustrAliA Airline Pilot AcAdemy, WAggA WAggA

The Academy offers flight training which includes a unique Rex Pilot Cadetship scheme and an intensive live-in training program which allows students to graduate with a Commercial Pilots Licence, a Multi Engine Rating and Command Instrument Rating within 32 weeks.

‘We started in temporary premises in 2009’ says General Manager Geoff Cook, ‘and we are now training some 40 students with the aim being to grow to 200 students per year over the next few years.’

The Academy has begun a $25 million development of a state of the art flight training facility in Wagga Wagga. This aims to make Wagga Wagga an Asia Pacific leader in pilot training. The academy will include training and simulator rooms, offices and 92 bedrooms for trainee pilots and stewards, as well as communal and recreational facilities on the 2.5-hectare site.

Phase 1 is scheduled for completion by the first half of 2010 and final completion is scheduled for 2014.

The Wagga Wagga Advantage

‘The greatest benefit Wagga Wagga provides for us is that we can be co-located with other parts of the Rex Group, in particular the engineering base,’ says Geoff.

‘The other key factor for us is the weather. Wagga Wagga has minimal poor weather events, and this allows us to programme very tight training schedules with minimal delays.’

‘Being located only an hours flight from Melbourne or Sydney means doing business in either city is easy.’

‘We have found that the development of our business has proceeded smoothly and at a pace equivalent if not faster than I would expect in metropolitan areas. The cost to build infrastructure in Wagga Wagga has been competitive with metropolitan areas.’

Wagga Wagga Provides Plenty of Blue Sky for Pilot TrainingThe Australian Airline Pilot Academy’s (AAPA) first local

graduation of trainees occurred in June, 2009. AAPA’s parent

company, Regional Express Airlines (REX) has been flying for

over thirty years and has established the Academy in Wagga

Wagga to complement its airline operations in the City.

WAggA WAggA Business Profile - Airline Pilot trAining

“The Academy has begun a $25 million development of a state of the art flight training facility in Wagga Wagga.

This aims to make Wagga Wagga an Asia Pacific leader in pilot training.” Geoff Cook, General Manager, AAPA

‘Both the Wagga Wagga City Council and the state government have been very supportive and have helped us to quickly establish our business.’

‘I enjoy country towns and Wagga is just a larger version of one,’ says Geoff. ‘People are friendly and it is easy to get away for a short break without having to travel too far. Both Melbourne and Sydney are only a short drive or flight so the attractions of the capital cities are still accessible while not having to deal with the rat race daily.’

Business Profile

AAPA targets students in both Australia and from overseas, and has the capability to provide flight training equivalent to industry best practice, as well as maintenance of training aircraft to Airline Standard, which is “far higher than the typical industry standard” says Geoff.

The Academy currently employs 22 staff, including specialist qualified flying instructors and maintenance engineers.

‘Being located in a regional centre, our workforce tends to be very stable with little turnover’ says Geoff. ‘Getting qualified staff has at this point not been an issue.’

AAPA conducts all its own training in-house, and also benefits from complementary aviation training provided locally by both Riverina TAFE and Airservices Australia.

‘While AAPA aims to expand student numbers to over 200 in the next few years, we are also investigating other opportunities within the aviation industry as additional revenue streams,’ says Geoff.

‘Being located in a regional centre, our workforce tends to be very stable with little turnover’ says Geoff Cook, General Manager.

James Davis

Manager Economic Development

Wagga Wagga City Council

Phone: 02 6926 9135 / 0437 761 493

Email: davis.james@wagga.nsw.gov.au

Geoff Cook

General Manager

Australian Airline Pilot Academy

Phone: 61 2 6922 7770 / 0413 090 637

Email: geoff.cook@aapa.net.au