New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy boss ready to lead pilot academy back to strength

Gerard Glanville is a commercial pilot for aeroplanes and helicopters. Photo / Bevan Conley

The new New Zealand International Commercial Pilot Academy chief executive Gerard Glanville says emerging from the past two years of the Covid-19 pandemic is "like getting out of boxing ring".

"You're a little bit punched up and you've got to sort out the bruises and cuts, but you get through it and then say 'let's go'."

Glanville, who took up the role this month, said he was feeling positive about the facility's future.

He has taken over from Phill Bedford, who resigned last November.

Previously from Auckland, Glanville said the decision to move south came about after he enrolled in an executive MBA (Masters of Business Administration) at Massey University.

"One of our courses was here in Whanganui and I got to fall in love with it around that time.

"A couple of months later that was it. We made the decision to move here."

He and his wife have now been in the River City for a year and a half.

Glanville is a commercial pilot in both helicopters and aeroplanes and also ran a Pratt & Whitney engine overhaul shop.

"I've got a good, rounded background in maintenance and aviation. I've been flying since I was around 16 years old."

Continuity in the academy was now being felt, not just spoken about, Glanville said.

Whanganui District Council Holdings, the shareholder of the academy, had been "incredibly supportive" throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

"That's not just financially, it's the support of the people and offering mentorship during the turmoil. That has been great for the company.

"Students are flowing back in again, classrooms are filling up, and aeroplanes are being used.

Academy board chairman David Rae said he was thrilled to have Glanville join the team.

"He is talented, energetic and can take our business to a whole new level."

Glanville said the academy wanted to make sure Whanganui ratepayers received value from it, and to provide economic benefit to the region.

"I'm a ratepayer as well, so I'm almost employing myself. That's a crazy little scenario but that's what we are when we work in this."

Gerard Glanville says he fell in love with Whanganui during his time at Massey University. Photo / Bevan Conley

A recent open day hosted by the academy attracted around 80 people.

"They absolutely showed love for it. They were seeing what we do and seeing what careers were available for them here," Glanville said.

"A photograph of an aeroplane made me want to fly. Imagine if I had a plane in front of me, and a simulator. I might have taken it up even earlier."

Airlines around the world had been distressed by the pandemic, and what their fleets looked like now would impact how quickly the academy would fill up again, Glanville said.

There are currently 49 international and 18 domestic students at the facility. Twenty slots are designated for domestic students.

"If India is on a path to normal very quickly, then that would mean we were at capacity again very quickly as well.

"There are about 450 expressions of interest through our Indian agents. Obviously, we don't get all of that, just a percentage, but we are anticipating a good number of students to come through and make this business model work correctly."

Glanville, who is also the president of the Whanganui Squash Club, said fixed-base flight simulators had been moved out of the St George's facility and into the academy.

An Airbus moving simulator was also on the cards.

"That is out of our hands at the moment. The funding needs to be discussed at a shareholder level.

"We could have had a new fleet of close to 20 Diamond aircraft arriving at the moment as well, but that's on hold to make sure the business model still makes sense.

"When does that make sense? When airlines are flying and needing pilots, it's as simple as that."

Last year Whanganui District Holdings gave the academy $500,000 in interest-free loans to counteract the impacts of Covid-19.

"They will be scheduled to be returned to the shareholder," Glanville said.

"It's called a loan for a reason, and obviously the plan is to give it back. The timing is the critical issue."