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Qantas has secured a Vietnam Airlines contract via AJDAB to train 60 student pilots for the airline each year. Qantas has subcontracted the ab initio training to the Australian Aviation College at Parafield. Following one year of training at AAC the students will then train with Qantas for three months for specific type ratings on either the 767, 737, A320 or ATR 42/72. Currently AAC is training 160 students for Qantas, Cathay, Malaysia, Merpati, Garuda, Air Mauritius, CAAC, Korean, Air Niugini and Oman Aviation Services. The college employs 100 staff and has a fleet of 36 aircraft, including Duchesses, Tobagos, Cap 10s and TB-9 Tampicos. Pictured is a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 767-200, leased from AWAS; only recently has the aircraft been painted in the airline's livery, following the USA's lifting of trade sanctions against Vietnam. (Rob Finlayson)
Newsdesk- Military Aviation
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Military
Kiwi Navigators Train Inaustralia:
The first intake of RNZAF navigators to train in Australiahas graduated from the RAAF Schoolof Air Navigation at East Sale. The 12 month course was completed in late May and the graduation ceremony was marked with a flypast by HS.748 navigation trainers and Pilatus PC-9s, the latter used by the trainees to gain tactical navigation experience. The School of Air Navigation runs three or four courses concurrently and conducts courses not only for navigators (observers in the navy) but also for airborne electronics operators (AEOPs) as well as courses in aircraft, weapons systems and aircrew instructional techniques. The school is also training New Zealand AEOPs and observers. AA Comment: Over the past decade it seems that Defence and its appropriate ministers have looked long and hard at rationalising the pilot training schemes of Australia and New Zealand. Despite an obvious synergy and the potential for real savings in manpower and money, nothing happens. ADF pilots nowadays are trained to what was essentially lFTS standards at the BAe/Ansett Australian Air Academy at Tamworth, NSW before they pass onto 2FTS flying PC-9s at Pearce, WA. The cost of producing a squadron line pilot graduating from Pearce is probably now about a third cheaper than it was a decade ago when the recruit spent a year at Point Cook on lFTS CT-4s and another year on 2FTS Macchis at Pearce. The RNZAF could use its own excellent air academies for the initial training curriculum and then join Australia for the advanced stage using our PC- 9s. We would, in return be able to deploy the new RNZAF Macchi 339 as a replacement for our ageing MB-326 which has a doubtful future due to persistent airframe fatigue problems. The newly graduated Kiwi fast jet pilots could also join our two fighter introductory squadrons for a period (76 at Williamtown and 25 at Pearce) flying the MB-339 while the rest could return to NZ for deployment with their various units. The potential saving to both nations would be considerable over a period of time. After all, our forces have fought together in every major conflict this century and probably always will so why not train together, at least in this high tech high expense regime, and spend our dwindling Defence dollars smarter in the first place?
Usaf Unready?:
Even thoughthe Pentagon and US Congress haveinsisted on sustaining readiness in Qantas has secured a Vietnam Airlines contract via A/DAB to train 60 student pilots for the airline each year. Qantas has subcontracted the ab initio training to the Australian Aviation College at Parafield. Following one year of training at AAC the students will then train with Qantas for three months for specific type ratings on either the 767, 737, A320 or ATR 42/72. Currently AAC is training 160 students for Qantas, Cathay, Malaysia, Merpati, Garuda, Air Mauritius, CAAC, Korean, Air Niugini and Oman Aviation Services. The college employs 100 staff and has a fleet of 36 aircraft, including Duchesses, Tobagos, Cap 1Os and Grabs. Pictured is a Vietnam Airlines Boeing 767-200, leased from AWAS, only recently has the aircraft been painted in the airline’s livery, following the USA’s lifting of trade sanctions against Vietnam. (Rob Rnlayson)
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