The A18 A/AA AIRSPACE Chairman's Award recognises leadership excellence and outstanding accomplishments, coupled with remarkable dedication and commitment to the industry.
Mr Hood said he was deeply humbled by the award, which was presented at the A18 AIRSPACE Awards Gala Dinner on Wednesday 18 April 2018.
“It has been a real privilege to be able to dedicate the majority of my working life to the continual improvement of the aviation industry. To receive this award is a great honour and I am very grateful to Aviation/Aerospace Australia.”
Mr Hood has more than 35 years of experience across a wide range of operational, training and management roles within the civil aviation industry.
It has been a real privilege to be able to dedicate the majority of my working life to the continual improvement of the aviation industry.
In his time as ATSB Chief Commissioner, Mr Hood has overseen a number of significant transport safety investigations and report releases across the three modes of aviation, rail and maritime.
Mr Hood began his career as an air traffic controller in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1980, serving at locations throughout Australia and in the Middle East. In 1990, he moved to the Civil Aviation Authority, a predecessor to what is now Airservices Australia to further his career as a civilian air traffic controller.
In 2002, Mr Hood was appointed to lead the management team in Melbourne, and then, in 2005, he led the team responsible for the provision of regional air traffic services, including the operation of regional control towers throughout Australia. He was also integrally involved in the implementation of major air traffic management and technology projects, such as the Australia Advanced Air Traffic System known as TAAATS, the evolution of safety management systems and the introduction of user-preferred routes and flex-tracks.
In 2007, Mr Hood joined the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), where he held the positions of Group General Manager Personnel, Licensing, Education and Training, then Executive Manager Operations.
He returned to Airservices during 2013 to take on the role of General Manager Demand and Capacity Management and was appointed as the Executive General Manager of the Air Traffic Control Group later the same year. In this position, he was responsible for the management of over 1,300 air traffic management staff, providing services for 11 per cent of the world’s total airspace for more than four million flights annually from 28 air traffic control towers and facilities.
Mr Hood 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. Until being appointed as ATSB’s Chief Commissioner, he was also a Board Member of Safeskies Australia and, internationally, Vice-Chair of the steering committee for the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation’s Operations Standing Committee.
He is also a glider and powered aircraft pilot.
A/AA is a not-for-profit and independent association, with an overarching objective to contribute to the long-term health and sustainability of Australia’s aviation and aerospace sector.
Since its launch in 2010, A/AA has developed and delivered many important initiatives and programs to benefit the broader sector in Australia. In this time the organisation has built a national supporter base from industry and government, and has established a significant network of global relationships and formal partnerships.
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