The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) is a professional Association and federally registered organisation representing pilots employed by the Qantas Group (currently Qantas Airways Limited, Jetstar Airways Pty Limited, Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited and Sunstate Airlines (QLD) Pty Limited) in airline operations within Australia and around the world.

Membership

Representing almost 2,500 Qantas Group technical flight crew in both domestic and international operations, AIPA is the largest professional body of airline pilots in Australia. It was formed in 1981 when it separated from the Australian Federation of Airline Pilots in response to the changing aviation environment of the time and the need to enhance the industrial position of Qantas technical aircrew.

International affiliations

AIPA is a member association of the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA). In the global context, IFALPA represents in excess of 100,000 pilots through over 100 aircrew organisations and, uniquely, is one of only two bodies holding a permanent seat at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) without being identified as a contracting state. The ICAO function under the United Nations Charter is to internationally harmonise rules and procedures for the civil aviation industry. IFALPA is recognised as a permanent observer to the ICAO Air Navigation Commission entitled to participate fully in the technical deliberations of the Commission and ancillary Panels and Study Groups.

AIPA is a partner of the OneWorld Cockpit Crew Coalition whose principal objective is to provide a co-operative forum for its member organisations to address matters of common interest affecting pilots within the airline companies who comprise the oneworld Alliance (currently Qantas, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Lan Chile, Iberia, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Japan Airlines, Malev Hungarian Airlines and Mexicana) and their major codeshare partners.

Organisational Structure

AIPA is managed by a Committee of Management (COM) comprising 40 Pilots and Flight Engineer Officers elected by the whole membership. COM members are elected for a term of three years and an election is held each two out of three years to replace 20 COM members whose term of office has expired. Officer Bearer positions (identified below with current office holders), are elected by the Committee of Management from its own numbers:

President - Captain Barry Jackson
Vice-President (‘A’ pilots) - Captain Theron Busby
Vice-President - Captain David Backhouse 
Vice-President - Captain Brad Hodson 
Vice-President - Captain Richard Woodward 
Secretary - Captain Steven Anderson 
Assistant Secretary - Captain Michael Davidson
Treasurer - First Officer Adam Susz 

Broad objectives

AIPA seeks to advance the employment interests of its members and, to that end, represents individuals and the membership at large both in the workplace and in the broader aviation industry.

AIPA regularly participates in regulatory, technical and government inquiries and forums, and is recognised by various government and quasi-government bodies as having a stakeholder interest in the Australian aviation industry.

Corporate Governance

Corporate governance principles and systems have been formulated and installed in order to ensure that AIPA:

• achieves its known objectives;
• is financially accountable;
• complies with the applicable laws and regulations; and
• is operationally effective and efficient.