The high terrain and good weather in Coffs Harbour are some of the reasons for the major international airline using the local runway to train young pilots.

Eight years ago Singapore Airlines started using Coffs for practice landing and take-offs.

The Singapore Flying College takes about 180 cadets every year and each pilot flies into the Coffs airport three times a week.

The chief pilot William Ward says the training flights get excellent tower support, which provides a high level of safety.

Captain Ward says the good weather and high terrain also provide excellent training conditions.

"One of the other reasons that we go to Coffs is that the tower support we get there is fantastic."

"Not all airports have control towers these days, and given the speed."

"Our aircraft are quite fast, and the nature of our training means that having that tower there just adds that safety margin that we really like," he said.

Captain Ward says most regional airports lack control towers and has reaffirmed using Coffs for training.

He says cadets spend time in simulators on the Sunshine Coast before flying into Coffs Harbour.

"We've got two simulators so they spend time getting ready for the aircraft in the simulators."

"In the simulators, we have a visual modelling of Coffs Harbour, where what you see out the window if you like, which is actually just a view to project the screen."

"You actually see Coffs Harbour airport and the surrounds, and it all moves, it's quite impressive actually, very realistic," he said.