About

About AusALPA

 

About AusALPA

The Australian Airline Pilots’ Association (AusALPA), which consists of the Australian and International Pilots’ Association (AIPA) and the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP), represents more than 7,200 professional pilots within Australia on safety and technical matters.

AusALPA is committed to protecting and advancing Australia’s excellent aviation safety standards and operations.  Positioning itself as a key component of the aviation quality control process through the development of relationships with Government, regulatory bodies and industry, AusALPA strives to ensure the views of Australia’s professional airline pilots are considered in important safety and technical matters.

AusALPA is also an active member of the global pilot body, the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Association (IFALPA), which represents over 110,000 airline pilots in over 70 countries internationally.

One of AusALPA’s key objectives is to provide further professional training and education for its safety and technical volunteers, in order to be able to provide effective and efficient representation to the aviation industry both nationally and internationally.

The Safety and Technical Committee of AusALPA is divided into eight Portfolios, including:

  • Accident Analysis and Prevention (AAP)
  • Aircraft Design and Operation (ADO)
  • Aerodrome and Ground Environment (AGE)
  • Air Traffic Services (ATS)
  • Helicopter (HEL)
  • Human Performance (HUP)
  • Legal and Professional and Government Affairs (LEG/PGA)
  • Security and Dangerous Goods (SEC/DG)

History and Background

 

History and Background

Shortly after World War II, the United Nations Organisation came into existence and soon created several specialised agencies, one of which was the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The fact that ICAO would be making decisions on aviation policy without pilot representation immediately began to interest several pilot Associations. Airline pilots had begun to realise that they were citizens of the world in many respects, since their daily work took them across the borders of many countries. Pilots were often dependent upon distant municipalities or States to provide them with the facilities necessary for their personal safety and that of their passengers.  Therefore, pilots became vitally concerned with national and international affairs related to aviation. This concern remains today.

In 1948, as a result of an international treaty signed after World War II, active steps were taken by ICAO to set aviation industry standards for worldwide adoption.  Pilots everywhere realised they needed an organisation through which their views could be presented and their requirements met. To have meaningful input into this process, pilots knew they had to establish themselves in a position of leadership in aviation, and to accomplish this goal had to organise on an international basis. This was the reason for the formation of IFALPA in 1948.  Captain Len Moray was the first to represent Australia at the IFALPA inaugural meeting in London in 1948.  Initially, the Federation had a membership of 13 Associations. Today, IFALPA numbers over 90 Member Associations and represents in excess of 100,000 pilots. Among its cardinal principles are there is no distinction of members on the grounds of race, colour or creed, and political issues are not discussed.

IFALPA is a federation of national pilot associations. It is not a union of pilots, and it is not a pilots’ association, but a true federation of autonomous national units.  IFALPA’s external objectives are to provide a democratic body to present an international pilot opinion on social and professional matters, and on international aviation-related legislation, technical developments, and standards of safety. IFALPA’s internal objectives are to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas on technical, professional and industrial problems, to promote discussion among pilots on all matters of common interest, to advance the professional status of the pilot by encouraging progress in these technical standards and to foster goodwill and comradeship among the pilots of the world.

The original Australian Member Association was the Australian Air Pilots Association (AAPA), later known as the Australian Federation of Air Pilots (AFAP). As the rules of IFALPA allow for recognition of only one Member Association in any one country, AusALPA was formed on 25 March 1997 in conjunction with the Australian and International Pilots’ Association as an umbrella organisation to allow all Australian pilots to have representation at IFALPA.  Over the years, AusALPA and IFALPA have shared many members who have worked on improving the working conditions and safety within the aviation industry both internationally and within Australia.  Today and going forward you will nearly always see AusALPA representatives at IFALPA's annual and various regional and committee meetings.  There are a number of AusALPA representatives in leadership and chair roles with the IFALPA portfolios.

Image 1: IFALPA Conference, Sydney, 1952; Image 2: IFALPA Conference, Sydney, 2004

AusALPA Board

 

AusALPA Board


Louise Pole
President

Tony Lucas
Vice President

Barry Jackson
Secretary

Matthew Nielsen
Treasurer

Stuart Beveridge
IFALPA Director

Steve Cornell
Safety and Technical Director

Philip Remilton
Executive Committee Member

Shane Loney
Executive Committee Member

Aims and Core Functions

 

Aims and Core Functions

The aims of AusALPA are:

  1. To be the IFALPA Member Association for Australia;
  2. To be the national voice of Australian professional pilots in safety and technical matters;
  3. To promote the highest level of aviation safety in Australia and worldwide; and
  4. To provide representation, services and support on Safety and Technical matters to its Member Associations.

The core functions of AusALPA are:

  1. To protect and enhance aviation safety to the highest standard by promoting a single level of safety nationwide;
  2. To develop common safety policies and positions and to promote the adoption of such policies by airline operators, regulatory authorities and the Government;
  3. To promote and enhance the role of the airline pilot and other professional pilots represented by Member Associations, e.g. general aviation and helicopter pilots (hereinafter referred to as “airline pilot”) in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of passengers and goods entrusted to their care;
  4. To protect, promote and enhance the professional status of the airline pilot;
  5. To promote quality employment opportunities for airline pilots by supporting a safe, viable and expanding air transport industry;
  6. To provide training and education for the benefit of airline pilots and assist in the organisational development of Member Associations; and
  7. To facilitate the exchange of information and the co-ordination of activities amongst Member Associations.

Structure

 

Structure

AusALPA operates under the following three (3) tiered organisational structure:

  1. The Board
    The role of the Board is to manage the activities of AusALPA and to provide direction and support to its Member Associations.

    AusALPA has a Board consisting of members nominated by both Member Associations.

     
  2. The Safety and Technical Committee
    The role of the Safety and Technical Committee is to assist the AusALPA Board in its efforts to achieve the objectives mentioned in the Aims and Core Functions.

    The Safety and Technical Committee is made up of all Safety and Technical Portfolios and is chaired by the Safety and Technical Director.

     
  3. The Safety and Technical Portfolios
    The eight Portfolios of the Safety and Technical Committee are specialist bodies, which provide expert advice to the Safety and Technical Committee and Board and play an essential part in formulating viable and up-to-date AusALPA policies.

    The Safety and Technical Committee of AusALPA is divided into eight Portfolios, including:    
  • Accident Analysis and Prevention (AAP)
  • Aircraft Design and Operation (ADO)
  • Aerodrome and Ground Environment (AGE)
  • Air Traffic Services (ATS)
  • Helicopter (HEL)
  • Human Performance (HUP)
  • Legal/Professional and Government Affairs (LEG/PGA)
  • Security and Dangerous Goods (SEC/DG)

Chairpersons/Vice Chairpersons
Reporting directly to AusALPA’s Board are Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons appointed by the Board to oversee the activities of each Portfolio.

Volunteer Pool
AusALPA maintains a pool of Safety and Technical Representatives (pilot volunteers) who participate in safety and technical activities on behalf of the Association including but not limited to industry working groups, airport Runway Safety Teams, and senate inquiries. Representatives are able to provide technical knowledge and advice on a wide range of safety and technical related areas that currently impact on the aviation industry such as wind disturbance, wildlife, training and licensing, security and RPAS issues.

 

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