The Sunshine Coast is poised to become only the second region in the nation to host a company training airline cabin crew.
The Queensland Institute of Aviation Engineering (QIAE), which started up in 2000 at Caloundra Aerodrome, is now aiming for expansion and higher goals.
“We can start to train international students as cabin crew with this move,” QIAE director Tank Macpherson said.
“We will have a purpose-built building to expand into this area.
“There is only one other business training cabin crew in Australia – it’s in Brisbane – so this is a first for the Sunshine Coast.”
Mr Macpherson said QIAE had recently hired six new staff and would hire more “once we have settled into the new premises at Sunshine Coast Airport”.
Mayor Mark Jamieson congratulated the company on its move.
“We are working hard to build a sustainable economy here on the Coast, and the aviation sector is one of our key growth sectors,” he said.
“A growing, successful organisation with vision and ambition such as QIAE is just the kind of partner we want here and I am pleased to see Tank and his team take this major step.
“I can assure him that council will be supportive of QIAE every step of the way.”
Airport General Manager Peter Pallot said QIAE and the airport had been working on the development for some time “to enable the business to fulfil its international marketing potential and attract students from around the world”.
“Students will be exposed to a wide variety of machines from small general aviation aircraft to the modern passenger jets that operate at the airport,” he said.
“The new development will also, for the first time, also allow the business to diversify into jet aircraft maintenance.”
