Australian International Aviation College

What Australian International Aviation College does

Australian International Aviation College (AIAC) is a Port Macquarie, NSW-based flight training organisation that delivers CASA-accredited and Chinese CAAC-certified pilot training to both domestic Australian students and international, predominantly Chinese, airline cadets. The college was founded in 1990 as Johnston Aviation Services and is currently owned by Liaoning Fangda Group Industrial Co. Ltd., a Chinese diversified industrial conglomerate, following ownership transitions from HNA Aviation Group in 2013 and Liaoning Fangda in December 2021. AIAC operates as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO 45675) and CRICOS provider (03903C), delivering approximately 6 course intakes per year across its two campuses in Port Macquarie and Kempsey.

The college's core academic offering consists of two accredited Diploma qualifications — the AVI50222 Diploma of Aviation (Commercial Pilot Licence, ~AUD $96,450–$99,000) and the AVI50519 Diploma of Aviation (Instrument Rating, ~AUD $40,550–$43,000) — both delivered under CASA CASR Parts 141 and 142, with the CPL also covered under China's CCAR141. These are complemented by non-accredited professional development courses including the Flight Instructor Rating (Grade 3, $30,000) and a suite of six FIR endorsements ($4,290–$10,010), plus introductory Trial Instructional Flights ($250–$2,499). All flight hours are delivered on an exclusively Diamond Aircraft fleet (DA20-C1, DA40 NG, DA42 NG) equipped with Garmin G1000 glass cockpits, supported by a CASA Level 5 certified Mechtronix DA40/42 Flight Training Device and an in-house engineering department that maintains high aircraft availability.

AIAC's business model is consumer tuition-driven, with one-time fees per course, supplemented by Australian Government VET Student Loans for eligible domestic students. The GTM motion is direct-to-consumer through aiacollege.com.au with Cognito Forms enrollment, supported by phone, email, and small-scale organic social (Facebook, Instagram). The customer base is dominated by individual aspiring pilots rather than enterprise buyers, with documented graduate placements at Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Jetstar Airways, and Express Freighters Australia serving as a brand credential rather than a commercial channel. The Chinese airline cadet cohort, enabled by CCAR141 certification, represents a concentrated international demand stream tied to the current Chinese parent ownership.

Name

Australian International Aviation College

Legal name

Australian International Aviation College

Website

https://aiacollege.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AIAC is a Port Macquarie-based CASA and CAAC-certified flight training organisation that delivers accredited Diploma of Aviation courses (CPL and Instrument Rating) plus instructor ratings, serving domestic Australian students and international Chinese airline cadets on an all-Diamond Aircraft fleet with a CASA Level 5 simulator.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)

Keywords

• Commercial pilot training
• Aviation flight training
• Instrument rating training
• Flight instructor rating
• Airline cadet pilot programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Diploma Course Tuition Fees: AIAC generates primary revenue from accredited diploma courses including AVI50222 Diploma of Aviation - Commercial Pilot Licence (Aeroplane) and AVI50519 Diploma of Aviation - Instrument Rating. Course fees are paid by students directly or through VET Student Loans for eligible domestic students.
2. Non-Accredited Course Fees: Revenue from Flight Instructor Rating (Grade 3) and various FIR endorsements. These courses are non-diploma programs with separate fee structures.
3. Trial Instructional Flights: Revenue from Trial Instructional Flights (TIFs) offering introductory flight experiences for prospective students. Packages include 30-minute, 1-hour, and 3-hour options.
4. VET Student Loans: AIAC is an approved VET Student Loans (VSL) provider offering eligible Australian students access to government loans to support their training. The Australian Government provides loans that students repay once their income reaches the required threshold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AIAC is a flight training college that delivers accredited diploma courses (Commercial Pilot Licence and Instrument Rating) and non-accredited training (Flight Instructor Rating, FIR Endorsements, Trial Instructional Flights) to domestic Australian and international students. Training is delivered face-to-face using a modern all-Diamond Aircraft fleet and a CASA Level 5 certified simulator, supporting pathways to commercial airline cadet pilot programs.

Product overview

Australian International Aviation College (AIAC) offers a structured portfolio of aviation flight training programs built around a modern Diamond Aircraft fleet and an in-house Mechtronix DA40/42 Flight Training Device. The core academic offerings consist of two accredited Diploma qualifications — the AVI50222 Diploma of Aviation Commercial Pilot Licence and the AVI50519 Diploma of Aviation Instrument Rating — both delivered under CASA CASR parts 141 and 142. These are complemented by non-accredited professional development courses: Flight Instructor Rating (Grade 3) and a suite of six Flight Instructor Rating Endorsements that extend instructor privileges. Introductory Trial Instructional Flights (TIFs) serve prospective students exploring the profession. A VET Student Loans program supports eligible domestic students in financing their tuition. All training utilizes exclusively Diamond Aircraft (DA20-C1, DA40 NG, DA42 NG) and a Level 5 certified FTD simulator, with an in-house engineering department maintaining high aircraft availability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 153 hours total flight training for CPL diploma including 70 hours solo, 76 hours dual, and 7 FTD hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Civil Aviation Administration of ChinacoreOthers · 1 July 2014Only one of few Australian flight schools with Civil Aviation Administration of China approval to conduct CPL, Multi-Engine and Instrument Rating training under CCAR141. In July 2014, the Chinese Government gave approval to AIAC to conduct airline pilot training for Chinese airlines.
• AviaCoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as 'Proudly working with...' indicating a working relationship or partnership in the aviation industry.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BAA Training: Lithuania-headquartered ab initio pilot training organisation (formerly CTC Aviation) with operations across Europe and Asia. Trains cadets for international airlines through integrated ATPL programs comparable in scope to AIAC's international pipeline.
• Airways Aviation Group: International flight training group with multi-region EASA- and CASA-certified academies. Competes directly for international airline cadets and operates Diamond-aircraft-heavy integrated ATPL programs that mirror AIAC's core offering.
• Airways Aviation Academy (Toowoomba): Australian operation of the Airways Aviation group offering CASA-certified integrated ATPL and CPL training. Direct competitor to AIAC for Australian domestic and international cadets using a similar Diamond-based fleet philosophy.
• Aviation Australia: Brisbane-based flight training organisation providing CPL, ATPL and instructor ratings with substantial international (including Asian) student intake. Closely comparable in scale, course mix and CASA regulatory status to AIAC.
• Flight Training Adelaide: CASA-certified flight training college in Adelaide delivering integrated CPL/ATPL programs comparable to AIAC. Operates within the same Australian regulatory framework and serves a similar mix of domestic and international cadets.
• CTC Wings (part of BAA Training): Pilot training organisation originally part of CTC Aviation, now integrated into BAA Training. Offers multi-engine and type rating instructor courses similar to AIAC's Flight Instructor Rating Endorsement suite — a notable overlap on instructor-rating product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Pan Am International Flight Academy: US-based commercial pilot training organisation delivering ab initio and type rating courses. Comparable flight-school scope and international orientation, with a global footprint substantially larger than AIAC's.
• CAE Melbourne (CAE Inc.): Subsidiary of global aviation training leader CAE Inc. operating integrated pilot training programs in Melbourne. Much larger incumbent with the same CASA Part 142 capability as AIAC plus deep airline relationships across major global carriers.
• FlightSafety International: Global incumbent in professional aviation training providing pilot, instructor and simulator training worldwide. Overlaps with AIAC in flight instructor ratings and advanced crew resource management at far broader scale.

Regional players

• Singapore Flying College: Regional Singapore-based flight training school producing airline cadet pilots for the Asia-Pacific market. Comparable course structure and target cadet segment, but operates primarily out of Southeast Asia rather than Australia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/aiacollege.pmq
• Instagraminstagram.com/aiacollege_pilottraining
• Xx.com/aiacollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-international-aviation-college-pty-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian International Aviation College