Slade plans hit turbulence

Jeremy Sollars | 30th June 2009

A FLYING school negotiating with the Southern Downs Regional Council to take over part of the former Slade Campus has lost two key personnel despite securing a contract to train Chinese pilots.

Flight Training Australia (FTA) director Captain Peter Boughen has confirmed to the Daily News his business development manager Gary Young, who was co-ordinating the firm's Slade bid, has left the organisation and took on a role with Gold Coast flying school Australian Wings Academy.

In another blow to FTA's hopes for the council-owned campus, chief flying instructor Mike Lewer has been poached by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and started work yesterday.

Captain Boughen said FTA was still “intensely interested” in Slade.

He said the loss of the key staff would have no impact on plans to teach up to 150 prospective Chinese pilots to take to the skies at the Warwick Aerodrome, while housing and teaching theory at Slade.

“Of course we are disappointed to lose senior people, but it shows the high standard of the people we employ,” Capt Boughen said last week.

“Gary has been replaced by Captain David Whyte in the role of general manager of operations, an appointment made in anticipation of Gary's departure. “We have a contract signed with China Eastern Airways to train pilots, which we can accommodate at our Archerfield (Brisbane) operation.

“The plan is to expand this to Slade, but we need the Chinese authorities to inspect the campus and the Warwick Aerodrome and this is taking longer than we had hoped.”

Mr Boughen said FTA's plans for Slade could involve an annual local investment of up to $2 million a year and jobs for up to 45 locals.

The Daily News contacted Mr Young but he declined to comment on the reasons for his departure from FTA.

The former Warwick Shire Council bought Slade in 2007 for $3.65m and is completing a business plan to guide its redevelopment.

Other proposals include plans by The Total Health and Education Foundation for an Eastern medicine university and a separate proposal for an indigenous health precinct.