Recreational flying school Learn to Fly is set to expand their operations following the approval of a new $1.5 million base to be built at Moorabbin Airport.
Learn to Fly is an international organisation that trains both domestic and international students, and is looking to expand into the general aviation sector and train commercial pilots.
The new base, to be built near the Shell Aviation centre, will be a double-story building of 4400 square metres with a six-plane hangar attached. The facility will house 15 briefing rooms, two simulator rooms, two cafes, a restaurant and a pilot shop.
Learn to Fly School Operations Manager Kai Li believes it will be the largest flying school facility in Victoria once it is finished, and expects it will be an attractive proposition for international students wanting to train in Australia.
"We expect to train around 60-80 students at any one time," he told Australian Flying, "and we will have between 15-20 flying instructors, even more when daylight savings is on.
"Right now we have three aeroplanes, but we will be ordering more very soon."
Li has recently taken out membership of Australian Pilot Training Alliance (APTA) to be able to expand and train under CASR Part 142. APTA membership will also enable Learn to Fly to train using APTA's CRICOS accreditation.
Learn to Fly also has facilities in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai, but the new Moorabbin building is expected to be the largest.