Former Qantas chief pilot Chris Manning has been appointed an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) commissioner.
Manning will take up his position at the ATSB from March 9 2015, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Industry and Regional Development Warren Truss said in a statement on Tuesday.
Truss said the three-year appointment was part of the government’s response to the Aviation Safety Regulation Review (ASRR), adding that Manning was well qualified for the position given his extensive “aviation operational and safety management experience” as both Qantas chief pilot and group general manger of flight operations.
“The Aviation Safety Regulation Review Report recommended the appointment of an additional ATSB Commissioner with aviation expertise and the Australian Government is making good on this recommendation today,” Truss said in a statement.
Manning was currently the honorary chair of The Australian Aviation Associations’ Forum and in addition to Qantas also previously worked as head safety advisor at Tiger Airways Australia. He is also a former president of the Australian and International Pilots Association.