Official opening of Aviation Studies Centre at Kent St school

28/10/94

Western Australia has become a national centre for aviation studies in Australian schools.

Aeronautics courses are now offered to Year 11 and 12 students in nine State high schools - including four in the country and one private school.  Several schools also offered flight studies in years 8 to 10.

Education Minister Norman Moore today highlighted WA's prominence in this area during the official opening of an $800,000 Aviation Studies Centre at Kent Street Senior High School.

Staff for the new centre will be provided by the WA Education Department and it will be completed with Commonwealth funding.

Mr Moore joined Federal Finance Minister Kim Beazley and Mr Malcolm Yeo - the founder of the avaiation course - in cutting the ribbon to open the new centre during Education Week.

Kent Street pioneered aviation studies for Australian students in 1979 and is now considered the leading exponent in Australia. The majority of teaching materials and assistance to other schools in aviation emanates from this school.

The school accepted 27 students for the first course at the start of 1979 when aeronautics was accepted as an accredited subject of the curriculum.  Since then, more than 600 students have participated.

Mr Moore said Kent Street was also the first Australian school to build its own aircraft which was completed in 1992. A workshop dedicated to aircraft building was part of the complex, along with a classroom, library and seminar room.

"Western Australian aviation students are sought after by the RAAF Academy in Canberra and by the commercial aviation industry," Mr Moore said.

"This is an excellent example of the diversity of courses, programs and teaching methods now provided in our schools to meet the changing needs of students and society."

Former students of Kent Street were now flying fighter jets for the RAAF, were involved in commercial pilot training, working as air traffic controllers, engineeers and mechanics.  Others were undertaking aviation apprenticeships with a number of airlines.

Media contact:  Ross Storey  321 1444    222 9595