A training centre has been opened by Qantas in Sydney in order to train pilots and crew for the airline, as well as its Jetstar subsidiary.
The facility in St Peters near Sydney Airport, developed in partnership with global training provider CAE, is now home to five full-flight simulators, three fixed training devices and ten classrooms. Further tranches of training equipment will arrive in the coming years, including Australia’s first Airbus A350 simulator that will train pilots for ultra-long-haul ‘Project Sunrise’ flights.
The new centre marks the return of Sydney-based flight training for the Group after it relocated its simulators from Sydney to Melbourne and Brisbane in 2021 to make way for the NSW Government’s Sydney Gateway road project.
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CAE will operate the new centre and maintain all training equipment. Senior Qantas and Jetstar training captains will continue to train pilots from both airlines, with pilots typically undertaking four simulator sessions per year to remain current in their formal qualifications and up to 15 sessions when training for a new aircraft type.
Pilots and cabin crew will also complete their ground training at the St Peters centre with emergency procedures equipment and aircraft cabin mock-ups until mid-2026 when Qantas will open a new dedicated ground training facility in Mascot. The relocation of ground training equipment will open up additional space at the CAE Sydney flight training centre and enable its transition to a dedicated pilot training facility which will allow the Group to meet growing demand as it welcomes new aircraft.
The formal opening of the centre follows a recent major investment in skills and training that includes a new Qantas Group Safety Academy, a $40 million investment in new ground training facilities and equipment across the country, and the doubling of Qantas Group Pilot Academy scholarships in 2025. The first group of apprentices through the new Qantas Engineering Academy are also due to start in January next year.
“Safety is paramount for the Qantas Group and CAE,” said CAE Chief Operating Officer Nick Leontidis. “The purpose of this training centre, its advanced simulators and team of experts, is to create an optimal training environment for Qantas and Jetstar crew to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be ready for the moments that matter. With a network of more than 70 civil training centres around the world, including three in Australia, CAE will lend its innovation and expertise in efficient training operations to meet the Qantas Group’s training requirements as it grows its fleet. We salute the longstanding relationship we enjoy with Qantas and look forward to supporting Project Sunrise with CAE’s latest generation Airbus A350 full-flight simulator”.
Full motion full-flight simulators (FFS) and fixed flight training devices (FTD) to be located at the new Sydney flight training centre will cover various platforms, including Airbus A320, A330, A380, A350, Boeing 787 and B738.
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