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Chinese flight school hits a snag -   

Via the Oz:

China pilot plan hits turbulence
MATTHEW DENHOLM
One of the Chinese pilot schools planned for Australia has stalled.

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Kempsey complaints ground plans for Chinese pilot school

One of the Chinese pilot schools planned for Australia has stalled after an independent report backed concerns it could have a significant impact on local residents and the environment.

Residents of Kempsey, on the NSW north coast, were yesterday cautiously celebrating the withdrawal of plans for an $18 million expansion of pilot training at the town’s small airport.

The proponent — the Australian International Aviation College, owned by China’s Hainan Airlines — has withdrawn two development applications to the Kempsey Shire Council.

An independent report, by a Coffs Harbour-based planning expert, recommended the applications be refused, because there was insufficient information to demonstrate that the plans would not have a “significant environmental impact”.

The report also pointed to the “significant number of valid submissions received objecting to the modification of the development”, which would have increased flights at Kempsey from 3000 a year to 30,000.

“We put the withdrawal down to the independent assessor’s report clearly stating that refusal of the application be recommended to council,” said Adam Ulrick, of the Save Kempsey Airport Action Group. “They have basically failed planning laws.”

Residents are still concerned the college, which did not respond to requests for comment yesterday, may yet amend its application and again seek approval.

The project is one of a number put forward by Chinese companies in NSW and Queensland, seeking to train Chinese pilots in Australia to overcome a domestic and global shortage.

A trend towards Chinese companies buying struggling Australian pilot schools has alarmed some industry experts, including veteran aviator Dick Smith. Australia is grapplings with its own pilot shortage, linked by some to costly and burdensome red tape.

China needs about 110,000 new pilots by 2035 but lacks the capacity to train sufficient numbers due to a lack of suitable airspace, smog-free skies and English-speaking instructors.

There are also plans for Chinese pilot training at Frogs Hollow, near Bega in southeast NSW, and Mareeba in far north Queensland. Training of Air Asia pilots is planned in Tasmania.

While many Australian pilot training companies are keen to embrace Chinese and Asian students, as well as Australian pilots, to meet the burgeoning demand, many warn regulations must be streamlined.

MTF...P2