Singapore Flying College Has Shut Down Jet Training at Sunshine Coast Airport - No More Citation Mustang Jet Training

News has broken in the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper that Singapore Airlines has closed its $50 million jet training college at Maroochydore, Sunshine Coast, laying off 12 staff last Monday 22 July.

Operated under the name Singapore Flying College, the facility, which opened in 2002, underwent a $40 million upgrade only three years ago.

In a statement, the college said the closure was a result of changes to its pilot training curriculum.

The college had employed 15 staff, using simulators and jet aircraft to train up to 140 cadet pilots a year.

Singapore Flying College launched at Sunshine Coast Airport in 2001, the next year opening one flight simulator backed by four LearJet 45 jet aircraft (including VH-SQV pictured above at Maroochydore) to train pilots who had completed their basic flying induction at Jandakot in Western Australia.

In 2010 the College was upgraded, spending $25 million on five Cessna 510 Citation Mustang jets (including VH-SQY pictured below at Rockhampton Airport) to replace the Lear jets, as well as building two additional simulators at a cost of $15 million.

Spotters have long speculated that the number of training flights have been dropping back as the frequency of visits into (mostly) Rockhampton and Mackay Airports has been declining in recent times.

The college's operations in Singapore and at Jandakot, where most flying training occurs, are not affected.