Destination: The Parkes Elvis Festival in regional NSW.

Visit author’s Google+ page

The post Elvis has left the building – headed for Parkes, NSW appeared first on Flight Options.

Welcome to the Flight Options Newsletter for December 2012.

This year has been one of high growth for Flight Options, the company has invested greatly in new infrastructure, personnel and technology throughout all divisions.

Under the direction of our Chief Pilot Phil Laffer, who has been with me now for 16 years, we have established a dedicated Cessna Citation business jet charter service complimented by customer FBO services.

The other component of Flight Options is pilot training, a subject that is very close to my heart. I have wanted for many years to establish my own flight training facility, and provide opportunities to others to get a start in aviation, for a career, or just to enjoy the pleasure of flying privately.

I’m proud to say that we opened the new Flight Options Flight Training Centre this month, which was the culmination of two and a half years of planning and six months of construction. The end result from the ground up is a new purpose-built facility, with dedicated classrooms, simulators and new glass cockpit aircraft, It was also important to me to find the right people with the experience necessary to provide the very best flight instruction.

My beginnings in the aviation industry came from being awarded an RAAF scholarship at age 16 and going on to instruct, before establishing the business aspects of my career. An important element of the Flight Training Centre is the establishment of two scholarships, one each for a female and male in the Sunshine Coast region. I feel it’s important that we support the community where our business is based and part of the scholarship program will be to work with local school, colleges and other education facilities to develop aviation programs. The two scholarships are just the start of what I would like to do to create a career path, from initial training to actually working as professional pilot in the industry, for these up and coming young pilots.

The year has also seen the development a new Flight Options standalone website: www.flightoptions.com.au

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our business associates and in particular, our customers, for their support in 2012, and on behalf of everyone at Flight Options, wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

- Steve Padgett – Flight Options Managing Director

New Flight Options Flight Training Centre

Flight Options has established a Flight Training Centre on the Sunshine Coast Airport, Queensland, Australia, offering private, commercial and advanced pilot training in a tailored and professional environment.

With top of the range aircraft and flight simulators, some of the most qualified and experienced fixed wing instructors in Queensland and the latest in innovative technology, our students don’t just gain a qualification; they gain a skill that will set them apart from the crowd.

Flight Options offers a range of courses from private and commercial to advanced pilot training. Flight Options courses include:
Flight Training Academy courses:

• Private Pilot Licence
• Commercial Pilot Licence
• Command Instrument Rating (Multi-Engine)
• Flight Instructor Rating
• Professional Pilot Program

Business and Corporate Aviation courses:

• Citation Mustang Conversion Training
• Citation Mustang Recurrent Training
• Citation Mustang Mentor Program

Visit www.flightoptions.com.au/flight-training for more information.

Corporate Jet Charter

Utilising air charter services makes sense when your schedule demands that you make the most of your time. Flight Options Corporate Jet Charter operate Cessna Citation Business Jets out of both Bankstown Airport, Sydney, and Sunshine Coast Airport, Queensland available for both domestic and international missions.

Cessna Citation Mustang – Bankstown Airport, Sydney
At just under 650km/h, the Citation Mustang is significantly faster than old-technology turboprops, it will give you the power to take off from just 947m of runway enabling you to go places that larger aircraft can’t.
Aircraft Details
Speed:                                     Mach 0.63 / 340kts / 630kmh
No. of  passengers:                5
Crew:                                      Single pilot
Galley:                                     No
Toilet:                                       Yes
External Baggage                    Yes
Pressurised Cabin:                  Yes
Maximum Altitude:                    41,000 feet / 12,496m
Maximum Range:                     1,150nm / 2,130km
Click here for more information or to request a quote

Cessna Citation Ultra – Sunshine Coast Airport, Queensland
The Citation Ultra is a fast, cost effective business solution featuring 1,680 nm/3,111 km range, a well appointed 7 passenger cabin with a galley, private toilet, external baggage and excellent short-runway performance enabling access to regional airports and more remote locations.
Aircraft Details
Speed:                                     Mach .755 / 430 kts / 796 kmh
No of passengers:                  7
Crew:                                      Two
Galley:                                     Yes
Toilet:                                       Yes
External Baggage:                   Yes
Pressurised Cabin:                  Yes
Maximum Altitude:                    45,000 ft / 13716 m
Maximum Range:                      1, 680nm / 3,111 km
Click here for more information or to request a quote

Flight Options Deputy Chief Pilot David Miller is in charge of charter coordination for the company. David brings with him 27 years of aviation experience, he is a former owner and operator of Air Link – a regional airline based in Dubbo and has extensive RPT/Charter and operational experience. David has 15,000 hours flying time in many different types of aircraft including regional airliners and business aviation aircraft.

Flight Options aircraft are backed by the service and support of our sister company Aeromil Pacific. All aircraft maintenance is conducted at their Authorised Cessna Service Centre.

FBO Services

With highly professional and friendly staff and a luxurious, air-conditioned FBO lounge, Flight Options customers experience nothing but the best service when using our FBO services.

Flight Options offers FBO customers access to maintenance services, through our sister company Aeromil Pacific. Enjoy your stay, and fly away with piece of mind knowing you aircraft has been looked after by a Cessna Authorised Service Centre.

Flight Options offers customers fuel at an attractive rate.

Flight Options FBO services include:

• Hangarage (if requested)
• Maintenance services (if requested)
• FBO facilities
• Free WiFi

For more information visit the Flight Options website: www.flightoptions.com.au/fbo-services

Events

Flight Options Flight Training Centre Official Opening
4 December 2012
Flight Options, part of the Aeromil Group of Companies, officially opened a new Flight Training Centre at the Sunshine Coast Airport, on Tuesday 04 December 2012. The opening of the Flight Training Centre marked a watershed in Flight Options’s company history and personally for Managing Director Steve Padgett. Since commencing his career as an instructor at age 19, Steve Padgett has always maintained a passion for teaching people to fly. The opening of the Flight Training Centre has realised a long held ambition for Steve Padgett to develop a high quality pilot training facility.

The day was a great success, with speeches from Steve Padgett – Managing Director of the Aeromil Group of Companies, Phil Laffer – Flight Options Chief Pilot and General Manager, Fiona Simpson – State MP for Maroochydore and Mark Jamieson – Sunshine Coast Mayor.
Click here for more information on the official opening of the Flight Options Flight Training Centre

Christmas Closure

Flight Options offices will be closed from:
COB Friday 21 December 2012 and will re-open on Wednesday 2 January 2013.
For 24/7 Charter call: 0418 638 345
For 24/7 Flight Training call: 0408 201 630

Looking forward to 2013

2013 will be a year of increasing growth for Flight Options. With the Flight Training Centre now officially open, the flight training department is set to expand.

Flight Options Charter is looking to expand their range of charter aircraft to include a Cessna Citation II Business Jet:

Cessna Citation II

The post Flight Options Newsletter – December 2012 appeared first on Flight Options.

Flight Options, part of the Aeromil Group of Companies, officially opened a new Flight Training Centre at the Sunshine Coast Airport yesterday, Tuesday 04 December 2012.

Flight Options aims to bring a new approach to flight training, providing new facilities, new aircraft, the latest technology, innovative courses, a great location and highly experienced instructors.

Flight Options has been created to support customers who purchase Cessna aircraft from associated company Aeromil Pacific, and to promote flying. Steve Padgett, Managing Director, commenting on the Flight Options difference said “Many people talk to us about buying an aircraft and learning to fly, there are also many mature, successful individuals, with the means and application to learn to fly, but existing flying schools and old aircraft have just not motivated them to try. We aim to change that with our new flight training centre and promote flying once more as a satisfying pastime and challenging pursuit, as much as a route to a career in aviation.”

The Hon Alex Somlyay, Federal Member for Fairfax, the Hon Fiona Simpson, State Member for Maroochydore and Speaker of the House, and Mark Jamieson, Sunshine Coast Mayor will attend the official opening.

Flight Options Flight Training Centre is a new purpose-built facility, which includes simulator rooms, classrooms and flight briefing rooms with Category B simulators and Garmin G1000 training equipment. Airside, students fly new glass cockpit Cessna aircraft, equipped with Garmin G300 technology.

The new Flight Training Centre also offers advanced business and corporate aviation training utilising Flight Safety Level D full motion Citation Mustang simulators, the most sophisticated and advanced technology available for aviation training.

Flight Options key personnel includes: Chief Pilot and General Manager Phil Laffer, Chief Flying Instructor Tony Powell and Senior Base Instructor Mark Munn.

Flight Options instructors are highly qualified and experienced, employing innovative training techniques and the latest technology such as specialised flight training apps in an environment specifically designed for the pilot of the future.

Flight Options will be working closely with schools, colleges, community groups and the government to develop aviation courses that will advance the economic development of aviation in the region. Steve Padgett went on to say “I am also delighted to announce that we will be launching a local pilot scholarship program at the opening, an initiative we are very proud of as an investment in the local community and the future of aviation.”

Flight Options has also received international interest from as far afield as China, broadening the scope for further economic development in the Sunshine Coast region.

Flight Options Flight Training Academy courses:

• Private Pilot Licence
• Commercial Pilot Licence
• Instrument Ratings
• Flight Instructor Ratings
• Aircraft endorsements

Flight Options Business and Corporate Aviation training:

• Citation Mustang Conversion Training
• Citation Mustang Recurrent Training
• Citation Mustang Mentor Program

For full pilot training course information visit the Flight Training section of the Flight Options website: www.flightoptions.com.au/flight-training

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/flightoptionsaustralia

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/flight_options

The post Flight Options Flight Training Centre Official Opening appeared first on Flight Options.

The post Flight Options Flight Training Academy article in Ocean Magazine! appeared first on Flight Options.

The Flight Options Pilot Training Academy offers a range of courses from basic to advanced business aviation. Pilot training courses available through Flight Options include Private and Commercial Pilot Licences, Command Instrument Rating and Flight Instructor Rating. Flight Options also offers a range of business and corporate aviation training, courses include: Citation Mustang Conversion, Recurrent and Emergency Procedures Training and a Mustang Mentor Program.

The new facilities are to include specialised rooms designed for simulator training, and classrooms and flight preparation rooms for theory and flight briefings. Based on the Sunshine Coast Airport the new Pilot Training Academy is not only specifically designed to set a high standard in pilot training, but is conveniently located on a great airport in a beautiful location.

For full pilot training course information visit the Flight Training section of the Flight Options website.

The post Flight Options commences construction on new Flight Training facilities appeared first on Flight Options.

The Flight Options Flight Training Academy offers a range of courses from basic to advanced flight training. Flight training courses available through Flight Options include Private and Commercial Pilot Licences, Command Instrument Ratings and Flight Instructor Ratings. Flight Options also offers a range of business and corporate aviation training including a range of Cessna Citation Mustang jet courses, courses include: Citation Mustang Conversion and Recurrent Training, Emergency Procedures Training and Mustang Mentor Programs.

Flight Options is a new Flight Training Academy with purpose-built facilities. Flight Options pilot training utilises Flight Safety Class D full motion Citation Mustang simulators, Category B simulators, Garmin G1000 training equipment and new Garmin G300 equipped glass cockpit Cessna aircraft.

Flight Options students will learn from highly qualified and experienced instructors employing innovative training techniques and the latest technology such as specialised flight training apps and iPads in an environment specifically designed for the pilot of the future.

Announcing the opening, Flight Options Chief Pilot Phil Laffer said “Flight Options has made a significant investment in its Flight Training Academy. Our aim is to bring a new approach to flight training, providing innovative courses, professional and experienced staff utilizing the most advanced technologies in aircraft and simulation. Although our main focus has been on the domestic market to date, we are already receiving international interest from as far abroad as China”. With new facilities, new aircraft, a great location, and great people, Flight Options is certainly off to a great start.”

For full pilot training course information visit the Flight Training section our website.

The post Flight Options breaks ground on a new Flight Training facility at the Sunshine Coast appeared first on Flight Options.

Flight Safety full motion Class D Cessna Citation Mustang Simulators have:

•  A Custom-equipped, modular design
•  Designs based on 50 years of user feedback
•  ISO 9000-2001 certified quality
•  Industry-leading fidelity
•  High-resolution visuals library
•  VITAL systems imaging

Citation Mustang Simulators control sensors sample motions 4,000 times a second to provide realistic stick and pedal feel to ensure your simulator experience is just like flying a real Citation Mustang.

The simulators are composed of a cockpit that replicates the actual aircraft cockpit, a modularly designed cabin, instructor operator station and visual structure, all of which are integrated with the motion platform.

The sophisticated graphical interface uses colour-keyed, touch-activated screens to guide your training, with continuous global high-resolution satellite imagery and environmental conditions experienced during all phases of flight, from taxi and take off to landing.

The post Flight Options announces Advanced Flight Training on the new Level D Citation Mustang Full Flight Simulators appeared first on Flight Options.