CASA Director of Aviation Safety and CEO Pip Spence has been re-appointed to the role for a further two years.
In announcing the appointment late last week, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said since she was appointed five years ago, Spence had made significant reforms at CASA and was the best person to continue the program.
"Ms Spence is a highly experienced executive and board member with deep knowledge of the aviation industry and has been CASA’s CEO and Director of Aviation Safety since 2021," King said.
"In this time, Ms Spence has strengthened CASA’s organisational capability, improved service responsiveness and relationships across government, industry and international partners, and fostered a culture of accountability.
"Re-appointed for two more years, her experience and ongoing commitment to transparent, risk-aware, and data-driven regulatory decision-making will ensure CASA has the strong leadership it needs to continue progressing significant reforms."
Spence took the helm at CASA–the first woman to do so–at the direction of then minister Michael McCormick in a joint appointment with Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Mark Binskin AC as the new chair.
Prior to landing at CASA, Spence held the role of Deputy Secretary at Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development, with responsibilities that included aviation and airports, transport policy and portfolio research, and had been an aviation advisor to the minister.
During Spence's tenure at CASA, the following reforms have been made:
- overhaul of middle management personnel
- introduction of the GA workplan
- review of the Part 61 licensing regulations
- introduction of the Class 5 self-assessed medical standard
- introducing modular Part 66 maintenance licences
- revisiting the Flight Examiner Rating
- fast-tracking recognition of international maintenance qualifications
- service delivery functions moved online.
Whilst these are on the credit side of the ledger, CASA has still to finalise the Part 43 small aircraft maintenance regulations that were announced in 2018, and the abortive attempt to centralise the customer service function also occurred on Spence's watch.
Key to the next two years is the second iteration of the GA Workplan, which promises to deliver further reforms, including:
- finalising the CASR Part 106 Manual of Standards
- reviewing unique Australian airworthiness directives
- investigating the impacts of the MOSAIC regulations
- progressing the Class 4 medical standard
- completing CASR Part 43
- providing access to controlled airspace for recreational pilots.
CASA has held regular customer satisfaction surveys over the period Spence has been in the CEO role. The last survey–held in 2025–has shown that satisfaction with the regulator has been steady at an average of 6.1 out of 10.
Minister King also announced that former Cathay Airlines executive Greg Hughes had been appointed to the CASA board as a non-executive director.
-ˆSteve Hitchen