About us
What we do
The Australian Aviation Wildlife Hazard Group aims to:
- Raise industry and public awareness of aviation wildlife hazards, associated risks and their management
- Promote industry best practice in aviation wildlife hazard management
- Provide a forum for stakeholders to discuss aviation wildlife hazard management and risk reduction methods
- Be the go-to information source for organisations and individuals with a vested interest in aviation wildlife hazard management
- Provide aviation wildlife hazard management policy, safety regulation and guidance material advice to the Australian government
- Liaise with other aviation wildlife hazard bodies worldwide
- Monitor progress in research, regulations, procedures and the methods available to manage aviation wildlife risk
- Encourage wildlife hazard management training for, and promote proficiency of, aviation wildlife hazard management personnel
- Encourage ongoing monitoring and recording of wildlife activity and strikes affecting aviation safety
- Encourage the reporting of all wildlife hazards and wildlife strikes to the ATSB and related bodies
- Monitor and review both national and international regulations, standards and guidance material on aviation wildlife hazard management.
Download AAWHG’s terms of reference:
Who we are
The national Australian Aviation Wildlife Hazard Group (AAWHG) grew from a meeting between the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and the Australasian Aviation Ground Safety Council (AAGSC) in 2003.
In 2010, the AAWHG was formally recognised as the primary aviation wildlife hazard management reference body in Australia. The AAWHG fulfils Australia’s commitment to have a national bird strike committee as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) under Document 9137 Part 3, Bird control and reduction.
The group has met regularly since 2003, and its expanding membership includes multiple aviation industry stakeholders and organisations.
The AAWHG executive team, representing a range of these organisations, volunteer their expertise in the interests of improving aviation safety.
Executive
Committee
CHAIR
Ashley McAlpine
Avios Australis
Deputy Chair
Captain Brian Greeves
Australian Airline Pilots Association/Australian and International Pilots Association
Treasurer
David Anderson
Flight Safety Foundation
Secretariat
Donna Kerr
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
Communications Officer
Margo Marchbank
Koru Communication
Committee officer
Phil Shaw
Managing director and
co-founder of Avisure
Committee officer
Vidusha Ratnayake
Townsville Airport
Steering
Group
Rob Walker
Regional Aviation Association of Australia
Steve Noy
Biodiversity Australia
TBC
Australian Airports Association
Matthew Harper
Aerial Application Association of Australia
First Officer Esther Veldstra
Australian Airline Pilots Association
Alyssa Ford
Australian Transport Safety Bureau
William Kerr
Airservices Australia
Iain White
Department of Defence
Martin van der Merwe
Department of Defence
Ben Pickering
Virgin Australia
Simon Locke
Qantas Airways
Darren Meister
Jetstar
Dr Matthew Lott
Australian Museum
David Wiman
Airways New Zealand