It has a one in 40 plus chance but Goulburn is giving it a crack regardless.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The council is lodging a bid to snare a Qantas regional pilot training facility for the city.
The airline this month announced it wanted to establish its academy in a regional centre with an airfield, access to uncongested airspace and infrastructure to support and accommodate up to 100 students in the first year and ultimately up to five hundred.
Qantas has invited expressions of interest. A spokesman said more than 40 regional cities had indicated they’d be launching a bid.
Mayor Bob Kirk said he’d known about it for a while.
“There’s some doubt we’ll meet the essential requirements but it doesn’t mean we can’t put forward a proposal and try to convince Qantas we can overcome them,” he said.
“We’d work to do that because obviously such a facility would be of wide benefit. We’ll throw our hat in the ring. How it would be received is another question. We’d hope to progress beyond (the first round).”
Criteria include a minimum 1300 metre runway; full lighting; hangars and covered facilities to accommodate maintenance and parking for 30 to 50 aircraft; weather conditions allowing a minimum 300 flying days annually; access to a mix of controlled and uncontrolled airspace; teaching facilities; and student accommodation.
Qantas group pilot academy executive manager, Wes Nobelius said the company was pleased with the response.
“We’ve already had some very positive discussions with governments and State leaders,” he said.
“More than 40 regional cities have indicated they’ll be making a bid to be home to the Academy...The process will be very competitive and although there can be only one Academy, we’re encouraging every region to put their best case forward.”
Cr Kirk said he hadn’t personally discussed the idea with Goulburn Airport owner, John Ferrara, but he could supply the at least some of the required infrastructure.
The council sold the airport to Mr Ferrara in 2011 for $2.5 million. It followed years of debate about running costs and whether it was “core council business.”
“We don’t tick all the boxes and we have to be realistic but we have to put our best foot forward and hope our proximity to Sydney and Canberra, accessibility in terms of the highway and rail connections and the fact that six million people live within two and a half hours, count for something.”
But Mr Ferrara said the facility did meet all the criteria. While he told The Post the council had not contacted him, he was aware of Qantas’s plan.
“Of course we’d be open to putting in a bid with the council. We’ve been trying to get a pilot training facility here anyway,” he said.
“We meet all the requirements and more.”
Expressions of interest close on June 8. A shortlist will then be announced, with a final decision made later this year.