Development of Aviation Training Hub

Plans to develop an Aviation Training Hub at Lismore Airport, Australia, has had a major boost with Airways Aviation signing a lease to base a commercial pilot training school at the airport. The company will lease part of the Lismore Airport Terminal for commercial pilot training, while its students study a Bachelor of Business Aviation Management at Southern Cross University.

Airways Aviation, which already has training academies on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, will join the Northern Rivers Aero Club, Fast Aviation and TAFE NSW which offer aviation training at the airport.

Airways Aviation Lismore will initially provide ab-initio and advanced flight training to existing as well as new student pilots but once completed, will become the Australian Headquarters and the sister school to the Airways Aviation Academy (ESMA) in France.

Southern Cross University Dean of Business, Professor Robin Stonecash said the university was “delighted to be able to extend its aviation offering through pilot training at Lismore. Airways Aviation is a valued partner of the University, operating for several years alongside our Gold Coast campus, and we are sure they will continue to offer first class training as part of our aviation management degree.”

“This is very exciting news for our city and will give our local economy a significant boost by better using what is an under-utilised resource at the airport,” said Lismore City Mayor Isaac Smith. “This will be a real game-changer for the airport. In the first year alone, Airways Aviation is expecting to enrol a mixture of at least 20 domestic and international students.”