SAFA Skysailor Magazine

23 SPRING 2026 | September-October-November SKY SAILOR to collapse all the time, cross-country could feel like an SIV session every time. That improvement can be a dou- ble-edged sword. A more stable wing can give people a false sense of security – it doesn’t mean the wing can’t still do things, or the pilot no longer needs the skills and judgement to manage it. The equipment is better, but good decision-making and skills do still matter. What draws you back to the flying community? It’s an incredibly diverse group of people, but we all share the same passion for flying. People are generally friendly, helpful and welcoming. You can meet pilots from the other side of the world, and within a day or two find yourself flying together! I’ve had people I had only just met stay at my place for a couple of weeks so we could fly. You can turn up overseas years later and find the same hospitality waiting for you. That kind of thing is completely normal in our sport, and it’s pretty special. Locally, we form strong communities. People naturally gravitate towards others who enjoy a similar style of flying, but that shared interest gives you an immediate connection wherever you go. What did your professional journey look like before joining SAFA? A large part of my career was in catchment management authorities in Victoria, with some local government before that. I then moved into running water utilities with multi-billion-dollar asset bases, managing major infrastructure projects and the delivery and treatment of water. I’ve also spent time in government. Emergency management and safety were significant parts of those roles. For whatever reason, I often found myself leading organisations through extreme conditions: drought, fires and floods. That meant managing critical services under Photos: Gavin Hanlon