New Zealand Airline Academy Appoints Former RAF Air Commodore and CAA Executive as Head of Training

New Zealand – New Zealand Airline Academy Ltd (NZAAL), one of New Zealand's largest pilot training organizations, has appointed Captain David Harrison as Head of Training and Chief Flying Instructor at its Whanganui base. Harrison will also serve as Head of Training for Part 141 operations across all NZAAL bases.

• Harrison brings extensive military, commercial, and regulatory aviation experience spanning several decades, including service in the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1977, where he flew the Phantom FGR2, qualified as a Weapons Instructor, accumulated over 2,000 flying hours on the aircraft, and rose through the ranks from Squadron Leader to Wing Commander to Group Captain before retiring as an Air Commodore.
• During his RAF career, Harrison held senior oversight responsibilities within the RAF flying training system and served as a display pilot with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, flying both the Spitfire and Hurricane.
• Following his military career, Harrison joined CTC Aviation (now L3Harris) as Chief Flying Instructor on the multi-engine fleet in New Zealand.
• Harrison subsequently joined the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of New Zealand, initially serving as Principal Aviation Examiner before progressing to Manager of Certification and eventually Deputy Chief Executive – Aviation Safety.
• Since leaving the CAA, Harrison has continued conducting flight tests for Aspeq on behalf of the CAA.

The appointment was announced by Jonathan Manuel, CEO/Director at New Zealand Airline Academy, who noted that Harrison's operational and aviation training experience will further strengthen the academy's training standards.

Source: NZAA