Experts from the Royal Aeronautical Society’s (Australian division) membership base will be made available for comment and advice to government and media under a new register of experts.
RAeS Australian division president John Vincent says the register of experts is being established to to take advantage of the wealth of high-level experience its members have across a diverse range of subjects in a bid to further the interests of the aerospace industry in Australia.
“This is an initiative designed to support industry, government and the media by making available the extraordinary resource of talent, expertise and experience that exists in the local Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society,” Vincent said in a statement on Wednesday.
“We also believe that this same extensive resource of experience at the highest levels will be of value to government ministers and departments who can benefit from confidential access to our members.”
RAeS said areas of expertise included safety, flight operations, engineering, air traffic management, airports, government and regulation, technology, unmanned aerial vehicles, environment and business.
Vincent said its members, who can be reached via the RAeS general manager, would not be available for speculative comment.
“In keeping with the professional standards of the RAeS we will not be engaging in off the cuff commentary of the kind that often pervades media in the immediate wake of an airline accident,” Vincent said.
“Our members will only comment when the facts are known and there are issues to be debated.”