100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

100% Locally Owned, Independent and Free

Flight school to welcome state-of-the-art simulator amid plans to expand complex 

Do you have a news tip? Click here to send to our news team.

Summer safety alert following alarming fatality statistics

The community is being urged to put safety first this summer, after 15 children under five tragically drowned across Australia in 2024-25, with half More

Botanic garden transforms into open-air art showcase

Maroochy Bushland Botanic Garden has been transformed into an outdoor art gallery, with colourful works lining bushland paths as part of a free summer More

Photo of the day: morning calm

Jo Allayialis captured this photo of the Kings Beach Ocean Pool in the early morning. If you have a photo of the day offering, More

Coast property 2026 outlook: one suburb set to boom

Property pundits have outlined their expectations for the Sunshine Coast in 2026, with one suburb earmarked to boom. Experts predict home values in the region More

Shark spotted at popular Coast swimming spot

A shark has been spotted close to shore at a popular swimming spot on the Sunshine Coast. The 2.5-metre shark of an unidentified species was More

Popular Coast live music venue announces surprise closure

Fresh off hosting a popular music festival, a major Sunshine Coast entertainment and dining precinct has announced it will close, revealing business losses of More

A Sunshine Coast pilot academy is set to enhance its capabilities with a new high-tech flight simulator.

Flight Options, which is based at Sunshine Coast Airport, has announced the acquisition of a Mechtronix Ascent Airbus A320 FSTD (Flight Simulation Training Device).

It will arrive in December and is expected to be in service early next year.

Flight Options’ training complex currently supports a Level D Beechcraft King Air B200/BE350i simulator and, following the recent sale of its Cessna Citation Mustang FSD, the business will utilise its vacant bay to accommodate the new device.

Flight Options is also planning for the construction of two more bays to support the location of additional simulators that are under consideration.

Flight Options founder and managing director Steve Padgett said the new state-of-the-art simulator would enhance the company’s training capabilities.

An Airbus A320 fixed based simulator.

“This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for Flight Options,” he said.

“By investing in additional simulators and expanding our training complex, we’re reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional pilot training that meets the highest standards.”

The new simulator will allow Flight Options to continue to meet the demand for specialised pilot training at its headquarters.

Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.

Originally constructed as a result of a contractual agreement with the Singapore Flying College (a division of Singapore Airlines), the Flight Options complex is one of the largest privately-owned advanced simulation facilities in the Southern Hemisphere.

The company offers comprehensive training courses covering various equipment types, including the King Air, and serves a diverse client base spanning Australasia, South-East Asia and beyond.

Subscribe to SCN’s free daily news email

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
[scn_go_back_button] Return Home
Share