Qantas opens new Sydney flight training centre
Qantas and global training provider CAE have unveiled a purpose-built training centre in Sydney, designed to train thousands of Qantas and Jetstar pilots each year.
Situated near Sydney Airport, the state-of-the-art facility features five full-flight simulators, three fixed training devices, and ten classrooms.
Plans are underway to expand the centre further, including the installation of Australia’s first Airbus A350 simulator to prepare pilots for Qantas’s ultra-long-haul Project Sunrise flights.
This development marks the return of Qantas’s flight training operations to Sydney after relocating simulators to Melbourne and Brisbane in 2021 due to the NSW Government’s Sydney Gateway road project.
The new facility will be operated by CAE, with Qantas and Jetstar training captains overseeing pilot instruction. Pilots are expected to complete four simulator sessions annually to maintain their qualifications, with up to 15 sessions required when transitioning to a new aircraft type.
In addition to pilot training, the centre will host cabin crew ground training until mid-2026, after which a dedicated Qantas ground training centre will open in Mascot. This shift will enable the St Peters facility to focus exclusively on pilot training, supporting Qantas’s growing fleet and operational demands.
The launch of the Sydney centre is part of a broader skills and training investment by Qantas. This includes a new Qantas Group Safety Academy, a $40 million upgrade to training facilities and equipment nationwide, and a doubling of Qantas Group Pilot Academy scholarships from 2025. The airline is also preparing to welcome its first apprentices to the Qantas Engineering Academy in January next year.
The new centre underscores Qantas’s commitment to maintaining world-class safety and operational standards while addressing the future needs of its expanding fleet and workforce.
Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said the new facility was key to the Qantas Group continuing its half a century history of training pilots in Sydney.
“Qantas is proud of its strong safety culture and the skill and expertise of our pilots have long been recognised globally. This new facility is a key part of ensuring that these high standards continue across our next generation of aircraft and aviators in this country,” said Mr. Wallace.
“We have more than a hundred new aircraft on order for Qantas and Jetstar which create significant opportunities for our people and Australia’s aviation industry, and the huge demand for crew training will be supported by the new flight training centre and our partners at CAE.”
“Sydney will be the anchor city for our Project Sunrise flights when they launch and our pilots will train for their flights here in the facility once the A350 simulator arrives,” added Wallace.
CAE Chief Operating Officer Nick Leontidis said that the Sydney centre’s inauguration is an important milestone as the company celebrates 30 years of supporting aviation training in Australia.
“Safety is paramount for the Qantas Group and CAE. 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.”
