Second flight simulator bought by University of South Australia in 2022 for aviation students set to fill pilots shortage
The Airbus A320 cockpit simulator, as purchased by the University of South Australia for its student pilots at the Mawson Lakes campus.
Image by EPA/Jason Calston, courtesy Airbus
The University of South Australia bought its second high-tech flight simulator in 2022 to train student in Airbus A320 cockpits, confident that entry-level pilots can help the embattled aviation industry overcome looming skills shortage.
The A320 simulator, bought from New Zealand company PacSim, complemented the Boeing 737 simulator at the university’s Mawson Lakes campus, bought from the same company in 2017. Around 100 third-year aviation students train in the simulator each year.
Bachelor of aviation programme director Dr Steve Leib said having simulators with two different cockpit systems equipped students in dealing with “a whole variety of different aeroplanes.” Among the more than 9,300 Airbus A320s in service around the world, the narrow-bodied aircraft was the primary workhorse of Jetstar’s domestic fleet. Leib said the new A320 simulator would additionally be used for research and might incorporate virtual and augmented reality into pilot training.
An industry partner had already shown interest in using the new simulator for recurrent training of their pilots in situations such as engine failure and as a requirement for maintaining a pilot license.
UniSA’s investment in its aviation programme came as the industry faced a skills shortage due to early pilot retirements and redundancies brought on by the pandemic. In 2020, international passenger travel in Australia dropped by more than 98%. The Australian Federation of Air Pilots estimated in 2021 that up to 25% of its 5500 members were “without recent experience that is required to maintain their licence”.
An outlook report from Boeing in 2021 also forecasted that international aviation would need an additional 600,000 pilots by 2040. Leib said the top commercial airlines would be able to replenish their pilot workforce by drawing from their subsidiaries but the need for skills would be felt “down the hierarchy”. Core demand for entry-level pilots in Australia was likely to come from three sectors: charter and tourism companies, regional carriers and flight instruction.