Students at Gander Flight Training are getting ready to take off into a new school year.

The aviation school is welcoming dozens of local and international students all with the goal of becoming professional pilots.

President and CEO Ian White says Gander is an ideal spot for an aviator-in-training – it’s not too busy, but it also isn’t a ghost town.

White says the airport offers all the major navigational tools and latest technologies that allow students to gain experience with stuff they will encounter where ever their career takes them. Newfoundland’s weather is also a useful training tool as student pilots will learn how to safely navigate while dealing with crosswinds, snow, rain and fog.

Over 3,000 pilots have graduated from Gander Flight Training since opening in the 1990s.