The Director of Aviation Safety

John McCormick

Biography

John McCormick is a highly experienced pilot and senior aviation manager, who joined CASA as Director of Aviation Safety in March 2009. He holds a Masters Degree in Aviation Management and is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

He began his flying career in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1974 . He served as a fighter combat instructor on Mirage III fighter aircraft in Australia and South East Asia.

In 1984 John left the RAAF and joined Qantas as a pilot on the B747-200. He flew with Qantas’s international operations for three years.

John joined Cathay Pacific Airways in 1987, as a first officer on the B747-200. In a 22 year career with Cathay Pacific, he held various management appointments including; Flying Training Manager L1011, B777 and B747-400, Manager Training Boeing, Chief Pilot Boeing and from 2002 until 2006 the position of General Manager Operations. As General Manager Operations John’s role included responsibility for the Cathay Pacific air operators certificates and all applicable regulatory matters. During his time with Cathay Pacific he attended INSEAD business school in France and was involved in numerous International Civil Aviation Organization and Association of Asia Pacific Airlines committees and activities.

In 2006, John returned to active flying as senior training Captain for Cathay Pacific on the Airbus A330 and A340 aircraft. He has flown many different aircraft including single seat aerobatic aircraft, numerous fighter aircraft and many twin-aisle, high capacity aeroplanes. He is or has been a type rating examiner on the Lockheed L1011, the Boeing 777 series, the Boeing 744 series, the Airbus A330 series and the Airbus A340 series.