Qantas unveils tech wishlist for new pilot academy

Qantas is looking to kit out a planned pilot academy in regional Australia with "high-tech" classrooms and flight training simulators.

The airline said in February that it would spend up to $20 million in the first instance to build the academy "near an existing airfield in regional Australia".

It will train 100 pilots a year for direct entry into the Qantas Group - potentially more for other airlines - and is expected to open in 2019.

The airline today unveiled a shortlist of criteria it will use when selecting a location for the academy.

Among other things, the location must be able to support "high-tech student classrooms and space for large group briefings, full wi-fi and IT capability, and facilities to accommodate flight training simulators."

There are 12 flight training simulators across Qantas’ existing training facilities in Sydney and Melbourne.

More than 40 councils from across Australia have already indicated their desire to be involved in the project.

Qantas also said over 12,500 aspiring pilots have registered their interest in the program.