I am old enough to remember Ansett and when I got a call from Logan Charles Leahy, the General Manager of Ansett Aviation Training Australia and New Zealand to do some commercial photography I was naturally curious. It was as a name I recognised, flew on their service and was surprised to hear they were still around. Well, sort of….

Ansett Aviation Training: From Airline Legend to Global Simulator Leader

A narrative of continuity and renewal — how a cherished Australian airline’s name and spirit migrated from wings and aircraft to flight simulators and training halls. Capturing this evolution through aviation photography and industrial photography reveals the scale, precision and human focus that define Ansett Aviation Training today (see our Commercial and Industrial Photographer service for similar work).

Roots in the Sky: The Ansett Airline Story

For much of the 20th century, the name Ansett was synonymous with Australian aviation. Founded by Sir Reginald “Reg” Ansett in the 1930s, the company grew from a small mail-and-passenger service into one of the nation’s major airlines. Over decades the Ansett fleet changed and expanded — early propeller aircraft gave way to turboprops and jets, domestic routes multiplied, and international services reached parts of Asia.

Despite the airline’s long-standing reputation for service and safety, Ansett Australia suffered mounting financial pressures at the turn of the century. The airline ceased operations in 2001 and the last flights and associated services wound down in early 2002. The collapse affected thousands of employees and left a lasting emotional imprint on Australian aviation culture.

From Airline to Training

Even as the airline was grounded, a practical truth emerged: one part of the Ansett business remained valuable — its simulator and training facilities in Melbourne. A consortium of aviation investors purchased the training assets and infrastructure in the years after the collapse. Those assets were reborn as Ansett Aviation Training, a standalone training organisation that deliberately carried the Ansett name and many elements of the company’s service-focused culture forward.

The rebirth was more than a rebrand. It was an act of preservation: preserving knowledge, preserving jobs for experienced aviation professionals, and preserving a storied identity by transforming it into a modern training business. Where Ansett planes had once carried passengers, Ansett simulators would now carry pilots through the experience and muscle memory of flight

Melbourne Headquarters: A Southern Hemisphere Training Hub

Today, Ansett Aviation Training’s Melbourne campus is one of the largest independent training centres in the Southern Hemisphere. The facility’s simulators, workshops and training spaces have become a frequent subject of commercial photography, showcasing the cutting-edge environment where aviation professionals train (view examples on our Industrial Photographer page).Located close to Melbourne Airport, the site houses a broad collection of full-motion flight simulators, classroom spaces, briefings rooms and a dedicated cabin-evacuation trainer. The simulators range from regional turboprops and small commuter types to mainstream narrow-body airliners.

On any given week the Melbourne centre runs long training days, sometimes operating in multiple shifts to accommodate airline schedules and overseas trainees. Experienced ex-airline captains staff the instructor rosters and the facility prides itself on a service-oriented environment with comfortable briefing rooms, instructor lounges and around-the-clock support facilities for visiting crews.

Global Network: Growth Beyond Australia

Ansett expanded internationally to meet demand across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Its growth strategy combined new-build centres, partnerships and regional hubs that bring simulator access closer to airline customers. From Melbourne to Milan, Ansett’s international footprint has also been documented through industrial and aviation photography, highlighting the technical sophistication and global reach of its simulator network (explore more on the Commercial and Industrial Photographer page).

Key training centres

• Melbourne, Australia (HQ): A dozen+ full-flight simulators including A320 family, turboprops and regional jets plus an A320 cabin/evacuation trainer.
• Brisbane, Australia: A Queensland hub with simulators suited to regional jets and turboprops, serving Pacific operators and domestic carriers.
• Sunshine Coast, Australia: Partnership campus providing turboprop and light twin training such as the King Air series.
• Taipei, Taiwan: Asian training hub supporting carriers across East and Southeast Asia with high-fidelity sims and multi-lingual instruction.
• Milan, Italy: A European base operating under local regulatory frameworks, offering A320, 737/Avro and other type-rating programmes.
• Dubai, UAE: A Middle Eastern hub positioned to serve Africa, India and regional carriers with ATR and A320 simulators.

Across its network, Ansett operates dozens of full-flight simulators and coordinates global scheduling so airlines can run concentrated training campaigns across different time zones and facilities.

What Ansett Teaches: Programs and Capabilities

Ansett’s offerings span the full spectrum of airline training needs. The company focuses on simulator-based instruction, but its courses are comprehensive: computer-based theory, classroom briefings, practical simulator sessions and check rides.

Core services

• Type Ratings & Conversions — Full type-rating programmes for aircraft such as the A320 family, ATR turboprops, Dash-8, BAE-146/Avro, Fokker 100, Embraer regional jets and King Air turboprops. These combine systems knowledge, procedures training and full-motion sim sessions culminating in certification checks.
• Recurrent & Refresher Training — Mandatory recurrent checks, instrument proficiency checks and refresher courses to keep pilots current and confident.
• Jet Transition & Multi-Crew Cooperation (MCC) — Bridging courses to prepare pilots new to jets for airline operations and multi-crew cockpit dynamics.
• Cadet & Pathway Programs — Partnerships with flying schools and airlines to deliver end-to-end cadet training and pathway programs leading to airline employment.
• Instructor & Examiner Training — Courses for Type Rating Instructors (TRI) and Synthetic Flight Instructors (SFI), equipping instructors with the pedagogical and technical skills to run simulator sessions and checks.
• Cabin Crew & Safety Training — Evacuation drills, emergency procedures and threat/error-management workshops often using cabin mock-ups and evacuation trainers.
• Custom & Corporate Solutions — Bespoke programs tailored to charter operators, cargo companies, governments and specialised clients.

Training blends cutting-edge Level D simulator fidelity (where available), realistic visuals, current avionics and airline procedures, plus an emphasis on both technical flying skills and human factors such as crew resource management.

Clients, Reach and Impact

Ansett’s clientele spans major full-service airlines, low-cost carriers, regional operators, cargo firms, flight schools, governments and special-purpose operators. Hundreds of airlines and operators have used Ansett’s facilities for type ratings, recurrent checks and other programmes.

Through commercial photography assignments, the professionalism and scale of Ansett’s training operations are visually communicated to clients and airline partners worldwide.Beyond preparing individual pilots, Ansett’s training contributes to broader aviation safety. Every pilot trained in a simulator reduces risk in the real world by practicing emergencies, abnormal procedures and high-workload scenarios in a controlled environment. Economically, training centres bring skilled jobs, visiting trainees, and associated tourism and service-sector income to their host regions.

The narrative of Ansett is in part a human story: former airline staff and veteran pilots who lived through the airline’s collapse found renewed careers guiding the next generation of aviators. That human continuity — hands that once serviced aircraft now guiding pilots through simulators — is at the heart of the organisation’s identity.

Service, Safety and Mentorship

Though it operates on a commercial scale, Ansett retains a culture rooted in mentorship and attention to detail. Many instructors are former airline captains who place a premium on real-world practical knowledge and teach with empathy for trainees. Facilities reflect this approach: comfortable briefing rooms, 24/7 support for visiting crews, and instructor-led debriefs that focus on learning rather than blame.

Looking Ahead: Growth, Technology and the Pilot Shortage

As global demand for pilots remains high, Ansett is positioned to expand its simulator footprint and deepen airline partnerships. Plans and public discussion have included additional simulators for new-generation aircraft and continued expansion into growth markets. The company’s strategic focus is twofold: invest in simulator technology to meet changing aircraft types and scale capacity to help airlines manage recurring training and cadet intake.

This trajectory means Ansett will likely continue to play a role in resolving the industry’s pilot supply challenges by offering accessible, high-quality training pathways and by partnering with carriers on cadet schemes.

A Legacy Reimagined

The Ansett story is one of transformation. Where once the company’s red-and-white aircraft carried passengers across Australia and beyond, the modern Ansett Aviation Training carries forward the name by preparing pilots and crew for the rigours of modern airline operations. It is a story of continuity: a name that once belonged to an airline now belongs to an organisation that keeps aviation safe through education and simulation.

For those who remember the original Ansett, the training centres are living proof that a brand can evolve while still honouring its roots — a transformation often best told through aviation photography, where images of simulators, crews and aircraft evoke both heritage and innovation (browse related work on the Industrial Photographer page).