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UNSW School of Aviation has expanded its training fleet with the addition of six new aircraft.
Two of the Diamond DA40 XLT aeroplanes, to be housed at Sydney’s Bankstown Airport, have now arrived and been put into service after several weeks of testing, with the remaining four to join the fleet over coming months.
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“This investment is a testament to our commitment to providing world-class aviation training and ensuring our students are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to become future leaders in the industry,” said UNSW vice-chancellor and president Professor Attila Brungs.
“We’re proud to support our students by fostering not only technical expertise but also leadership, problem-solving, and social awareness. These qualities are essential for navigating the complexities of modern aviation and driving meaningful advancement in the sector.”
The aircraft were assembled in Canada before being shipped to Australia by sea, with Malcolm Good, UNSW director of flying operations, and UNSW’s head of school of aviation, Professor Brett Molesworth, making the trip to Canada last year for acceptance testing.
Students will train for their first 160 hours in the Diamond DA40 XLTs, before switching to multi-engine aircraft for the final 40 hours of instruction.
According to Good, the planes were selected for their “safety performance, dependability, size, weight, and propeller construction”.
“This investment in new aeroplanes cements our position as a leading provider of flying training in Australia. UNSW is one of only two universities to own and operate our own aeroplanes for flying training, and the new fleet ensures we’re able to deliver best-practice instruction in the country,” he said.
“In terms of flying, it’s fantastic to be able to teach students in such quality aircraft – it really gives them the best opportunity to develop their skills.
“Not only do the aeroplanes have favourable handling characteristics, but they also require less maintenance which importantly means students will be able to fly more frequently.
“This hands-on training serves as a stepping stone to more complex multi-engine aircraft, building the technical knowledge and confidence required to pilot larger commercial aeroplanes.”
The new planes will gradually replace six older aircraft in UNSW Aviation’s 15-strong fleet, with the university planning to invest in electric planes in the future.
