A new flight training centre for international students has just opened in Fredericton, and already officials say it could be one of the largest in Canada by the end of the year.

CANLink Aviation has set up a franchise of the Moncton Flight College and will begin training 60 student pilots from China.

"We have a long term target of 200 students per year training here in Fredericton," CANLink President Mike Tilley said on July 18 as he addressed reporters in a hangar at the Fredericton airport.

"So far we have contracts signed with Air China and China Eastern and we'll begin receiving these students within the next couple of weeks," he said.

The college already has more than 100 students from China, now training in Moncton.

The New Brunswick government has provided CANLink with a C$1 million repayable loan.

"It will assist with the purchase of aircraft, a student accommodation building, and the initial start-up costs," said Greg Byrne, minister of Business New Brunswick.

Mike Doiron, the college's chief executive officer and principal, said the potential for new business is enormous.

"It's estimated that the aviation industry will double between now and 2025," he said. "If you look at all the pilots that are out there today and you multiply by two, that is a lot of pilot training. It's much more than we shall ever be able to accommodate," he said.

"We anticipate within 18 to 24 months we'll have the Fredericton campus completely maxed-out, so that we'll be looking at a third and potentially a fourth facility ... obviously the focus is going to be to try to keep that all in New Brunswick," said Doiron.

Byrne said there are a number of locations that could be used but said Miramichi is the most likely choice because of the former air force base and the favourable weather.

Doiron said the potential is there for the college to train up to 700 students a year from China, and potentially from India as well.

"We're looking at international contracts and our focus has been China," said Tilley. "It could be that two years down the road we could be doing a large Irish contract or a contract from a U.S. supplier, but for now it will be China, based here in Fredericton."

The airlines in China pay the college about C$80,000 per student.

Huant Haoe, now being trained in Moncton, said he knows it's a good deal for him.

He already has a contract with China Eastern Airlines once he graduates.

Haoe says getting his training in New Brunswick gives him a chance to see Canada, and a better chance of becoming a professional pilot, than if he had sought training at home.