CTC Makes Advanced Cockpits Standard for Airline Pilot Training

On Friday, 1 October, CTC Aviation Group plc (CTC) took delivery of three new aircraft at its Crew Training Centre in Hamilton, New Zealand.

The three new Cessna aircraft have been especially fitted with Garmin 1000 glass cockpits, which is an extremely sophisticated cockpit that replicates that in today’s modern passenger jet aircraft.

With the delivery of the new aircraft, CTC will replace older aircraft and make the Garmin 1000 glass cockpit its training standard.

CTC Aviation Training (NZ) Limited CEO, Ian Calvert, says “CTC is the only airline training organisation in New Zealand – and one of only a few worldwide - that has made the Garmin 1000 glass cockpit its training standard.

“This cockpit replicates the exact experience our cadets will have once they graduate and begin flying a jet airliner. Using the Garmin 1000 in our training aircraft means students get an advanced training experience from very early on in their programme. At CTC we waste no time in getting our cadets used to the jet aircraft experience,” explains Mr Calvert.

Mr Calvert says utilising such sophisticated equipment at such an early stage of an airline pilot’s training is all part of CTC’s unique ‘vertically integrated’ approach to training. CTC’s training is airline-focused from the outset and totally orientated towards the career development of tomorrow’s airline pilots.

CTC’s new Cessna aircraft have the same cockpits as CTC’s eight (8) DA42 training aircraft. CTC is the only airline pilot training organisation in New Zealand that uses the DA42, which is considered internationally to be the best airline pilot training aircraft in the world.

CTC’s Crew Training Centre in Hamilton now has a total of 33 aircraft in its training fleet.
In addition to boosting its fleet on Friday 1 October, CTC also held a graduation ceremony where 13 cadets celebrated completion of the CTC Wings Commercial Pilot Programme (CPP). CTC conducts this training as the practical element of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) Diploma in Aviation Science. The graduating class was a mix of people from around the world, including New Zealanders and others from Iran, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

CTC trains around 180 airline pilots each year at its Crew Training Centre - Hamilton. Most graduates are placed into positions with CTC’s partner airlines around the world.

CTC most recently announced a partnership with Jetstar. Several of today’s graduates have been selected by Jetstar to fly with the airline.