The new 'plane' at Melbourne Airport is the centrepiece of a state-of-the-art training facility dubbed the Learning Academy Hot Fire Training Ground.

The new 'plane' at Melbourne Airport is the centrepiece of a state-of-the-art training facility dubbed the Learning Academy Hot Fire Training Ground.



A new domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport will ease congestion and help drive economic growth, the federal government says.


The terminal, capable of handling up to 10 million passengers a year, is part of the $400 million first stage development of the airport's long-term southern precinct project.


The project, due to open in mid-2015, will include 17 new aircraft parking bays, extra car parking, ground transport facilities and road upgrades.


Although this isn't the first aircraft mock-up that's been used for training purposes in Australia, Airservices said it's certainly the largest in the southern hemisphere, and possibly the world.

Although this isn't the first aircraft mock-up that's been used for training purposes in Australia, Airservices said it's certainly the largest in the southern hemisphere, and possibly the world.



Approving the development on Tuesday, federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said expanding airports is necessary to connect Australia to the world and drive economic growth.


He said increasing capacity will help the airport deal with an expected doubling of its annual number of passengers to 64 million by 2033.


"What that means is jobs and economic growth and positioning Australia in the Asian century," he told reporters in Melbourne.


Melbourne Airport chief executive Chris Woodruff said the development will create jobs and provide a boost to the Victorian economy.


He said the expansion was driven by strong domestic passenger demand and will provide for further growth.


The works will focus on the area south of terminal 3 and around terminal 4.


Meanwhile, a new Melbourne Airport training facility will prepare firefighters to tackle the "one in a million" chance of a commercial airliner becoming engulfed in flames.


The $22-million "Hot Fire Training Ground," opened on Tuesday, creates engine, ground and fuel spill fires on a mock-up aircraft fuselage.


The mock plane is modelled on sections of the Airbus A380 and Boeing 767 aircraft designs.


Deputy chief fire officer Peter Smith says the training site will help prepare recruits for a real plane fire.


It will even apply artificial pressure to mimic a real-life emergency.


"In the industry we don't get to play with a real A380," he said.


"It is a very good simulation but it's not an actual plane crash. It's as close as you can get without putting our people at risk."


Aviation firefighting recruit Matthew Tucker says the training ground will give him practical experience that's not available in a classroom.


"We don't get the opportunity to practice at work like regular firies," he said.


"The training makes sure we're ready for that one in a million chance."


More than 700 staff are involved in emergency response at Australia's airports.


AAP