Aviation Australia

Aviation Australia is ISO9001:2000 accredited; has gained approval as a registered training organisation from the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training; and meets the licensing requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department for CASR Part 66, EASA Pt66, and HKAR Pt 66 respectively.

The company offers students courses in aviation maintenance in the specialist fields of avionics, mechanical and structures, as well as flight attendant certificate qualifications. Aviation Australia also conducts various targeted mechanical courses, cabin crew refresher courses and management courses for more than 50 client airlines, MROs and aerospace companies including Qantas, Boeing, Virgin Blue, Cathay Pacific, Dragonair, Gulf Air, Air Pacific and various international regulatory authorities.

Background

CEO Paul Bredereck has taken a “blue sky” approach in establishing the company with a somewhat radical business model for what is essentially a publicly funded vocational training provider.

Aviation Australia is a private company, albeit state government owned, and from the outset has set out to develop a commercial business that would support industry and at the same time generate profits to be re-invested into the organisation, thereby ensuring ongoing sustainability of both the training organisation and industry.

His team has been encouraged to adopt fresh ideas and the latest teaching methods to address future industry skills requirements, and to focus on making its employees and graduates more valuable and productive assets for Australia’s aviation industry.

Bredereck himself is a former engineering apprentice and commercial pilot, with more than 25 years experience in managing and running regional airlines, training organisations and other aviation and airport operations, of which at least 20 years has been directly involved in aviation training.

Aviation Australia set out to develop a commercial business that would support industry and at the same time generate profits to be re-invested into the organisation. “

We didn’t set out to build a school to teach people,” Bredereck told Australian Aviation. “We set out to design a training system and learning environment relevant to the attributes of the next generation. We utilise the latest technology, and we encourage and mentor our students and graduates.

I feel we’ve been able to permanently change the aviation training landscape in Australia, and it’s still early days.

“The heart of Aviation Australia is not just the relationships or the facilities; it’s the teaching and learning philosophy and culture.

We’re already building some powerful dynamics here, now that we’ve got that environment. ” Aviation Australia is a founding partner of the Aerospace Project. This was established in conjunction with Boeing Australia and the Queensland Department of Education with the aim of promoting and developing aerospace career opportunities for young people. “Through the Aerospace Project, they provide invaluable hands-on work experience opportunities for students so they can gain a greater insight into the careers available to them in the industry,” Boeing Australia’s human resources director, Geoff Woodcroft told AA.

The Aerospace Project has now expanded to include 17 high schools across Queensland, and in January led to the opening by the Queensland government of Aviation High at Hendra, just two kilometres from Brisbane Airport, which will be specialist public high school offering a broad curriculum with a high focus on mathematics, science, engineering and technology subjects delivered in a contextualised format.

“We’ve always been very impressed with the skills, knowledge and abilities of their apprentices and graduates,” Woodcroft added.

“In 2005 and 2006, several apprentices hosted by Boeing Australia were recognised in state group training awards for their proficiency in on and off-the-job training, initiative and creativity, and that’s what we need more of in the industry. ” Aviation Australia’s Brisbane facilities include the Technical Training Centre which comprises a 1750m2 hangar; 16 fully equipped classrooms, one of which incorporates the only Airbus active learning and competency focused training (AACT) 2D Maintenance and Flight Training Device in the region; five workshop areas for avionics, engines, hydraulics, component overhaul, general engineering and composites instruction; several aircraft including a Boeing 727, Fokker F28, BAe 146, Beechcraft King Air, two Robinson R44s, Cessna 152, two Pressurised Piper Navajos, a Piper Aerostar and a GAF Nomad; and a full technical library.

The adjacent Cabin Crew Training Centre features Boeing 737 and Embraer E‑170 cabin trainers; an extensive range of door and cabin simulators representing the various Airbus and Boeing types; a slide descent concourse capable of supporting up to six escape slides of various heights; Australia’s only fully independent Cabin Crew Emergency Procedures Training Facility; 13 fully equipped classrooms; a smoke and fire trainer; and a wet ditching pool capable of holding several life rafts.

Apart from its main facility at Brisbane, the company has a smaller training centre in Cairns, and provides contracted on-site training in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, China, the UK, Fiji, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the US.

Engineering Courses

Aviation Australia runs three Certificate IV in Aeroskills engineering courses for aspiring Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs); specialising in either avionics, mechanical or structures.

The avionics course gives students the theoretical knowledge and limited practical skills required to maintain, inspect and undertake fault diagnosis of aircraft electrical, electronic, instrument and radio systems, components and accessories on aircraft over a 38 week full-time study period. These include but are not limited to generation and power distribution systems, protection systems, autopilot and integrated flight systems,

The Aerospace Project has now expanded to include 17 high schools across Queensland, and in January led to the opening by the Queensland government of Aviation High at Hendra.

”environmental systems, and radar and communication systems.

The mechanical course is also a 38 week program, one which focuses on airframe and engine systems including wheels and brakes, landing gear and undercarriage systems, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, flight control systems, pressurisation, fire detection and prevention systems, environmental control systems, fuel systems, and gas turbine engine systems.

The 34 week structures course provides students with the knowledge of how to maintain and repair bonded and non-metallic aircraft sheet metal, aerospace alloys and composite materials such as boron, kevlar and graphite.

Graduates will seek an apprenticeship in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering – Avionics, Mechanical or Structures, and upon the demonstration of competency in all required units, the apprentice will receive a Certificate IV in Aeroskills for their chosen field and meet the criteria to be an AME.

Aviation Australia’s engineering graduates are in high demand from the booming Queensland aerospace industry as well as airlines, the Australian Defence Force and general aviation companies from all over Australia and the near region.

Indeed, for all the engineering courses and if certain conditions are met, Aviation Australia guarantees that it will refund up to 85 per cent of a graduate’s course contribution fee if they do not gain employment in the aviation industry within six months.

“There’s been a 1000 per cent growth in aviation apprentices in Queensland in the past five years. ” Bredereck said. “The aviation industry is crying out for skills. Twenty years ago, there was an aviation industry apprentice separation rate of over 35 per cent. Now, with Aviation Australia apprentices and graduates, it’s tracking at less than 10 per cent. ” “Aviation Australia has been important to the growth of Boeing Australia, particularly to our operations in southeast Queensland,” Boeing’s Woodcroft added.

“Our facility at Amberley has grown considerably over the past few years, from 540 (employees) at the end of 2004, to 825 at the beginning of 2007, a 53 per cent increase. With an extremely competitive labour market and our on-going need for skilled tradespeople, graduates from Aviation Australia have become quite important to enabling the growth on some of our key programs.

“In 2006, they met our need for additional structures tradespeople for our F-111, 707 and Wedgetail programs by developing a unique training program to enable selected Boeing employees to enhance and fast-track the completion of the qualifications.

Under the program, these employees have been able to graduate quicker and therefore commence sooner on those programs in need of more manpower. ”

Flight Attendant Training

Aviation Australia conducted its first flight attendant course in early 2006, and at time of writing, the seventh course (CC07) was underway.

The course runs over a 10 week period, and graduates are awarded a Certificate II in Transport and Distribution Aviation Flight Operations – Cabin Crew, and also gain accredited qualifications or certificates in customer relations, responsible service of alcohol (RSA), a Cabin Crew Dangerous Goods Certificate (Group D), and a Senior First Aid Certificate.

Most applicants for this course generally come from a hospitality or customer service background so, although they already have a good grounding in customer relations, they have little or no aviation industry experience or knowledge. Therefore, following an introduction to the training facility and the preview of the courseware, the rest of the first week of the course, internally dubbed ‘Aviation 101’, is structured to give students a basic understanding of aircraft, airport and airline operations.

During this introduction to aviation, students are taught about the basic principles of flight such as yaw, pitch and roll; the many moving elements of an aircraft’s flying surfaces such as flaps, slats, ailerons and rudders; weather and how it affects aircraft and airline operations; air traffic control procedures; as well as the various commonly used aviation terms, the phonetic alphabet, and much more.

The following weeks gradually become more intense for the students as they gain an understanding of aircraft and airline security, dangerous goods, airline operations, customer relations, conflict resolution, grooming and protocol, aviation first aid and safety procedures, aircraft emergency procedures, cabin and galley service and crew resource management (CRM).

“In most industries, there is a minimum requirement for entry into a profession,” said Aviation Australia cabin crew training manager Pauline Caulley. “For a pilot, there is the commercial pilot licence; to be an instructor, you require a Certificate IV in Workplace Training andAssessment. We believe it should be the same for cabin crew to have a minimum level of training to show not just theoretical, but practical competency for entry into this career.

“By utilising the Transport and Distribution Training package, we designed a 10 week fully accredited course that covers all aspects that we believe airlines would address if they had the luxury of another four or five weeks of additional training. The course is highly practical with one-third being practical components in which students must demonstrate full competency in order to underpin their theoretical understanding and gain their certificate outcome. ” Caulley herself previously worked as a senior cabin supervisor with Emirates, flying with the Dubai based airline for more than 14 years before returning to Australia to head up Aviation Australia’s flight attendant training. Indeed, all of the cabin crew instructors are former senior cabin crew members who have flown with Virgin Blue, Qantas, Emirates and Ansett.

“For me personally, the graduation of the first course, CC01, in May last year was a defining moment,” she said.

“We had managed to achieve such a substantial amount within a six month timeframe including the training facility being finalised, recruiting a team of instructors, designed and gain accreditation for the courseware, uniforms, and policies and procedures for the operation of the Cabin Crew Training Centre.

“Within a year, what we have achieved has been substantial. At the moment, I am pleased to say that we now have an extremely formidable team of first rate instructors, a world class product and increasing interest in Aviation Australia as a contributing business unit. ” Cauley detailed how Aviation Australia now has four main business streams within the cabin crew training business. “These include the dry hire of our classrooms and facilities to airlines such as Virgin, Jetstar, Alliance, OzJet and Strategic Aviation, and Qantas cabin crew recruitment organisation; the provision of aircraft conversion courses to other airlines for which our instructors have been signed off under their regulatory authority to conduct this type training; the provision of a nationally accredited pre-vocational course in cabin crew training; and recruitment and consultancy services to many airlines, particularly those from the Middle East where major expansion is currently taking place. ” Caulley said that there currently more vacancies for flight attendant positions than graduates, so it’s up to the students how they present themselves to prospective employers during and after their course as to whether they are successful in gaining employment.

“We are currently achieving an employment outcome of 85 per cent, with our students currently placed with Qantas, National Jet, OzJet, Jetstar International, Strategic Aviation and Pionair, to name just a few. ” Aviation Australia’s obligation to its flight attendant students doesn’t end with their graduation. “When our students graduate, they are told that their commitment to us must entail upholding their training in the workplace and to strive to wear their uniforms with pride. In return, we welcome them into the Aviation Australia family where they know we will continue to be a source of support and encouragement, not just for their 10 weeks, but through out their aviation careers.

“We have noticed a trend with the students that they become very empowered and confident throughout the course. We conduct appraisals with the students twice during their 10 weeks with us, one at week five and the other on graduation day. ”

The Future

Although Aviation Australia is still financially backed by the Queensland government, it is now a $16-20 million business, and Paul Bredereck has a long term vision to expand Aviation Australia’s training facilities and course offerings, although he is playing his cards close to his chest.

“We originally aimed to be a commercially viable operation by July 2008, and we’re certainly on track to achieve that. We have also positioned ourselves to be the leading Part 147 (internationally accredited aviation technical training) organisation in the region. As for future opportunities, there’s plenty out there, but I’d like to see a national aviation policy in place so that we have uniform standards across Australia that are internationally recognised. ” “The establishment of Aviation Australia is a testament to the Queensland government’s foresight as to the benefits the aerospace industry can bring, and already has brought, to Queensland,” added Boeing’s Geoff Woodcroft. “It’s a world class training facility that has had a tremendous positive impact on the industry and it will continue to be a valuable partner for Boeing Australia’s future and growth. ”