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 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 second officer on the B747-200. He flew with Qantas’s international operations for three years.

John joined Cathay Pacific Airways in 1987, flying as a first officer on the B747-200 and later as a Captain on the Tristar. In 1994 he became the airline’s flight training manager for the Tristar, based in Hong Kong. In 1994, he was one of two managers selected to introduce the Boeing 777 aircraft into Cathay Pacific Airways service. He was involved in the development of the Boeing 777 and later the 744 Boeing converted freighter program. In Cathay Pacific Airways, he transitioned to the role of flying training manager, B747-400.

From 1999 to 2002 John was chief pilot of Cathay Pacific’s Boeing fleet and from 2002 to 2006 he was general manager operations, based in Hong Kong. As general manager operations John’s role included responsibility for the Cathay Pacific air operators certificates and all applicable regulatory matters. He holds a Masters Degree in Aviation Management and has attended INSEAD business school in France. He has been involved in numerous International Civil Aviation Organization and Association of Asia Pacific Airlines committees and activities.

In 2006, John returned to 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. He has in excess of 10,000 hours as pilot in command.