The ATSB Commission today welcomes Greg Hood who begins his five-year appointment as the second Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Greg has more than 35 years’ experience in the transport industry, beginning his career as an air traffic controller in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Greg has since had a wide range of operational, training and management roles across the civil aviation industry. Most recently, Greg served in senior roles in Airservices Australia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
As well as being a glider and powered aircraft pilot, Greg is involved with a number of aviation bodies. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Freeman in the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, and a Life Member of the Qantas Founders Museum. Before joining the ATSB, Greg was a Board Member of Safeskies Australia and Vice-Chair of the steering committee for the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation’s (CANSO’s) Operations Standing Committee.
The Commission looks forward to the extensive experience and expertise Greg will bring to the ATSB, and transport safety investigations.
The Commission sincerely thanks previous Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan for his valuable leadership over the past seven years. Martin has overseen a number of major ATSB investigations that resulted in significant improvements to transport safety. These include the ATSB’s investigation into:
- the uncontained engine failure of a Qantas A380 aircraft over Batam Island in 2010, which resulted in international safety improvements to Rolls-Royce engines and airframe certification standards for all aircraft
- safety issues involving Queensland coastal pilotage, resulting in regulatory and operational improvements to pilotage operations
- Sydney to Melbourne railway line that examined the safety of the rail track along with a systemic review of the track’s safety systems
- the in-flight upset of a Qantas A330 in Western Australia that uncovered critical lessons for manufactures of complex safety systems.
Martin has strengthened the ATSB’s position as a national and international leader in transport safety. He played a critical role in reforming Australia’s rail safety investigations under a single national jurisdiction and oversaw the unprecedented search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Commission wishes Martin the best in his retirement and looks forward to building on his success under Greg’s leadership.