Bachelor of Aviation

The Bachelor of Aviation is a versatile degree with options to major in Flight Operations or Airport and Airline Management, preparing you for a career as a pilot or diverse roles in airport management.

In the first year of the course, you will learn the fundamentals of the aviation industry, including safety, human factors, relevant national and international laws, airline and airport operations, flight fundamentals and the basics of piloting an aircraft in a simulated environment. You will also lay the foundation to gain crucial lifelong learning and transferable skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and teamwork.

Airline and Airport Operations major

The Airline and Airport Operations major will prepare you for a career as an airline and airport professional by providing the core theoretical foundations of aviation operational management, including aviation marketing, finance analysis, air freight transportation, resource management and planning and operation. You will benefit from practical learning experiences throughout your studies, including case studies, projects and assessments, and undertake an industry placement in your final unit. If you choose to study on campus in Cairns, you will also benefit from learning in-situ at the Cairns Domestic Airport and experience real-time case studies from your classroom window.

In this major, you will study a wide range of topics specifically tailored to the airline and airport operations environment and develop skills in critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving and teamwork. You will also develop an understanding of the relationship between human physiology/psychology and the aviation environment by focusing on the function and limitations of the human body. You will be introduced to the application of safety processes and how they are applied within the aviation industry and to the laws relevant to airline and airport operations.

Flight Operations major

The Flight Operations major will prepare you for a career as a professional airline pilot capable of managing a multi-crew environment. In this major, you will study the academic and aeronautical knowledge requirements of the Air Transport Pilot License and Command Instrument Rating. You will build knowledge and skills relating to aerodynamics, navigation, meteorology and flight planning, as well as being introduced to the laws relevant to aviation, multi-crew environments and the development and maintenance of a safety management system.

The Graduate Diploma of Aviation (Flight Operations) will provide you with the aeronautical experience required for a career as a commercial pilot. During your study, you will gain the aeronautical experience required to apply for a Recreational Pilot Licence, Private Pilot Licence, Command Instrument Rating, and Commercial Pilot Licence.

You will benefit from our national network of flight partners and industry partnerships. CQU's partnership with Aviation Australia provides students with the opportunity to undertake a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Multi-Crew Cooperation Course (MCC) in the third year of the Bachelor of Aviation (Flight Operations). A CASA-approved MCC course is a requirement to operate as a pilot in a multi-crew flight.

Pathway to become a commercial pilot

If you wish to become a commercial pilot, you will need to complete CQU's Graduate Diploma of Aviation (CM54) in addition to the CL09 Bachelor of Aviation (Flight Operations). After successful completion of the first term of study, in your second term, you will attend an interview to ascertain your preparedness for a career as a pilot. Once you have successfully completed the interview, you will be requested to apply for the Graduate Diploma of Aviation.