Airways opens new training facility to meet global demand

22 March 2013

Airways opens new training facility to meet global demand

An air traffic control training facility purpose-built for international students has been officially opened by Airways New Zealand today, to support growing global demand for Airways’ world-class ATC training.

The new facility opposite the Massey University campus in Palmerston North is already being put to good use, with 32 students from Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) currently undertaking ab-initio (basic air traffic control) training there, and a group from Saudi Arabia National Guard about to start their ATC training at the centre next month.

With three aerodrome air traffic control simulators and six radar simulators, all developed with Airways world-leading Total Control simulator technology, the Palmerston North training centre is now set up to cater for increased demand from global air navigation service providers.

Airways provides air traffic services training at the highest levels on a global scale, evident by its recently awarded ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS certification. Airways Head of Training Sharon Cooke says with this international stamp of quality assurance, and world-class training facilities in Christchurch and Palmerston North, the company is in the best possible position to attract ATC trainees from around the globe.

“At the moment we’ve got particularly strong interest from the Gulf States and Asia in our training services. We’ll be busy throughout the year at the Palmerston North Centre, and we’ll also continue to host and train students and groups at our flagship Christchurch training facility,” Ms Cooke says.

Airways first began delivering training services in Palmerston North in mid-2011, when it opened a temporary facility on the Massey University campus to cater for increased numbers of overseas students looking to come to New Zealand to train. However by mid-2012 it was determined a larger facility would be needed to meet training demand in 2013.

Renovation work at the new site started in mid-January and was completed in four weeks, including demolition and reconstruction of classrooms and installation of simulator cabs, and an interior update.

Airways ATC ab-initio training is a proven success story. With an over 80% success rate, plus the high calibre of Airways graduates, it costs less to train air traffic controllers through Airways than through most other training programmes.

About Airways
Airways is a world-leading commercial Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP), and operates in New Zealand as a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE).

We look after key aviation infrastructure around New Zealand and manage the more than 1 million traffic movements per year into and around New Zealand’s 30 million sq km of airspace.

Airways provides air traffic control and engineering training, and has delivered air traffic management, Flightyield revenue management solutions, navigation services and consultancy in more than 65 countries.

For more information about Airways please visit www.airways.co.nz

ENDS

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