<p>It began as a venture to ensure that its regional airline owner could maintain its pilot numbers when major airlines came along to entice many away. Now the Australian Airline Pilot Academy (AAPA), created by Regional Express (Rex) just over 10 years ago, is set to be a key provider of pilot training across the Asia-Pacific region.</p>
<p><img alt="REX" src="/getasset/36e92aa7-671f-4d64-afa7-cb1a844f2edd/" /></p>
<p>AAPA finds itself in that position following the acquisition by Rex of ST Engineering’s subsidiary Aviation Training Academy Australia which owns ST Aerospace Academy (Australia) (STAA(A)). Located at Ballarat, Victoria, STAA(A), is a pilot academy of similar age to AAPA, having been founded a little over 10 years ago. From day one, its role was to provide pilot training for global carriers and it currently has more than 140 cadets under training.</p>
<p>Rex’s new acquisition is already accredited by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA), but also has approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Its current customers include Air China, Xiamen Airlines, Hainan Airlines and OK Airlines, as well as Scoot for the flight training component of the carrier’s MPL programme. STAA(A) is authorised by the CAAC to train up to 168 cadets a year for Chinese carriers.</p>
<p>According to Chris Hine, executive chairman of AAPA, STAA(A) is “an outstanding pilot academy with excellent standards which is why the Chinese authorities have accorded STAA(A) one of the largest annual training billets for a foreign academy”.</p>
<p>Hine also points out that the acquisition means that the Rex Group will draw on its expertise and experience at AAPA to help STAA(A) stand out from other pilot academies. “Airlines worldwide are looking for alternatives to training pilots in the United States for various reasons and Australia is at the top of the list as an alternative,” he states “We intend to leverage on our unique and unparalleled expertise to further expand our pilot training capabilities. We will look at opening further satellite bases in Australia to respond to the insatiable worldwide demand for professional pilots that are trained to rigorous airline standards. We have already identified one location and will consider more as we expand.</p>
<p>“With our expansion plans the Rex Group will have one of the largest pilot academies in the world. We will be contributing to Australian exports as the vast majority of cadets will be from overseas, as well as creating jobs in regional cities that are in desperate need for economic revival due to the drought,” Hine declares.</p>
<p>Just before the end of 2019, AAPA itself held a graduation ceremony for new Rex cadet graduates and a further three Vietnamese cadets. These new pilots are destined for positions at Rex and Vietnamese carriers, and they all received a Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) with a multi-engine Instrument Rating. They also each received a Diploma in Aviation (Commercial Pilots Licence) and a Diploma in Aviation (Instrument Rating).</p>
<p>Commenting on the occasion, Chris Hine remarked, “This is an opportunity for us to formally recognise and congratulate another group of cadets who have successfully completed the rigorous course of professional pilot training. It brings us all great pride to have turned these young adults, some of them fresh out of high school 10 months ago, into fully qualified professional pilots who could be First Officers in a few months’ time with a commercial airline.”</p>
<p>The progress of the Australian Airline Pilot Academy has been a major success for the Rex Group. Its need is underlined as according to the Group’s executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai, it has always been oversubscribed. The places available via its new acquisition and planned growth look certain to be filled with relative ease.</p>
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<p><img alt="REX" src="/getasset/36e92aa7-671f-4d64-afa7-cb1a844f2edd/" /></p>
<p>AAPA finds itself in that position following the acquisition by Rex of ST Engineering’s subsidiary Aviation Training Academy Australia which owns ST Aerospace Academy (Australia) (STAA(A)). Located at Ballarat, Victoria, STAA(A), is a pilot academy of similar age to AAPA, having been founded a little over 10 years ago. From day one, its role was to provide pilot training for global carriers and it currently has more than 140 cadets under training.</p>
<p>Rex’s new acquisition is already accredited by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia (CASA), but also has approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). Its current customers include Air China, Xiamen Airlines, Hainan Airlines and OK Airlines, as well as Scoot for the flight training component of the carrier’s MPL programme. STAA(A) is authorised by the CAAC to train up to 168 cadets a year for Chinese carriers.</p>
<p>According to Chris Hine, executive chairman of AAPA, STAA(A) is “an outstanding pilot academy with excellent standards which is why the Chinese authorities have accorded STAA(A) one of the largest annual training billets for a foreign academy”.</p>
<p>Hine also points out that the acquisition means that the Rex Group will draw on its expertise and experience at AAPA to help STAA(A) stand out from other pilot academies. “Airlines worldwide are looking for alternatives to training pilots in the United States for various reasons and Australia is at the top of the list as an alternative,” he states “We intend to leverage on our unique and unparalleled expertise to further expand our pilot training capabilities. We will look at opening further satellite bases in Australia to respond to the insatiable worldwide demand for professional pilots that are trained to rigorous airline standards. We have already identified one location and will consider more as we expand.</p>
<p>“With our expansion plans the Rex Group will have one of the largest pilot academies in the world. We will be contributing to Australian exports as the vast majority of cadets will be from overseas, as well as creating jobs in regional cities that are in desperate need for economic revival due to the drought,” Hine declares.</p>
<p>Just before the end of 2019, AAPA itself held a graduation ceremony for new Rex cadet graduates and a further three Vietnamese cadets. These new pilots are destined for positions at Rex and Vietnamese carriers, and they all received a Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) with a multi-engine Instrument Rating. They also each received a Diploma in Aviation (Commercial Pilots Licence) and a Diploma in Aviation (Instrument Rating).</p>
<p>Commenting on the occasion, Chris Hine remarked, “This is an opportunity for us to formally recognise and congratulate another group of cadets who have successfully completed the rigorous course of professional pilot training. It brings us all great pride to have turned these young adults, some of them fresh out of high school 10 months ago, into fully qualified professional pilots who could be First Officers in a few months’ time with a commercial airline.”</p>
<p>The progress of the Australian Airline Pilot Academy has been a major success for the Rex Group. Its need is underlined as according to the Group’s executive chairman, Lim Kim Hai, it has always been oversubscribed. The places available via its new acquisition and planned growth look certain to be filled with relative ease.</p>
<hr />
<p>If you enjoyed reading this, then why not read our other articles? </p>
<p>- <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/careers/">Careers Hub</a> </p>
<p>or select from the list of articles below:</p>
<p>- <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/article/matt-langridge-mbe-my-big-career-change-2-back-to-the-classroom/" itemprop="url">Matt Langridge MBE "my big career change" #2 - Back to the Classroom.</a></p>
<p>- <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/article/pittsburgh-institute-of-aeronautics-highlights-the-fairs-route-to-mro-employment/" itemprop="url">Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics highlights the fairs route to MRO employment</a> </p>
<p>- <a href="https://jobs.flightglobal.com/article/changing-the-financing-of-flight-training/" itemprop="url">Changing the financing of flight training</a></p>
<p> </p>