All our Line Pilots are based on Horn Island. Our Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Head of Flying Operations (HOFO) both position in either our Horn Island or Cairns offices depending on operational requirements.
All Torres Strait Air pilots & nominated responsible persons are required to meet & maintain Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and company requirements & standards.
Regarding their proficiency to fly in one of the most challenging regions of Australia, all pilots are required to not only meet CASA requirements by law, but also pass our entry proficiency checks with high standards. Our preferred minimum experience level of pilots prior to them starting with Torres Strait Air is 1000 hours total time with 100 hours Multi-Engine Time.
We conduct regular proficiency checks; line checks and our pilots are checked into each Torres Strait air strip before they are permitted to fly “solo” with any of our passengers onboard.
All charters operated in our twin engine aircraft (The Traveller, Islander and the Shrike Aero commander Shrike) are operated under the IFR – Instrument Flight Rules – so our pilots must also hold and maintain a current Multi Engine Command Instrument Rating.
We have direct access and support from our own Engineering base on Horn Island with locally based engineers.
Our Administration team based in Cairns, actively support our Horn Island flying & engineering teams with managing all enquiries, bookings & communications.
Daniel was born on Thursday Island, Torres Strait and is proud of his heritage and ancestry comprising of Japanese, Torres Strait Islander, Aboriginal, English, Malay and African American.
Daniel obtained his Commercial Pilot Licence with Multi Engine Instrument Rating in 1991. In March 1995, Daniel succeeded in obtaining his Aviation Instructor Rating to be the first Torres Strait Islander Commercial Pilot with an Aviation Instructor rating.
Daniel progressed his Aviation Career at the North Queensland Aero-Club in Cairns, eventually becoming the Chief Pilot and obtaining the eligibility of obtaining a Grade 1 Instructor rating. In 1997, Daniel returned to Torres Strait with proud ownership of a Cessna 210 aircraft (C210). Along with his wife Rhonda, Daniel was now also, to his knowledge, the first Torres Strait Islander to have ownership of an aircraft.
Throughout the many years of involvement in the industry, Daniel has been a member of various Advisory Groups, Committees, Panels and Delegations under the Protected Zone Joint Authority (PZJA) being involved with the management of Torres Strait Fisheries and working with various government agencies including the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA).
Daniel was an Australian Delegate to 2 Bi-Lateral Fisheries Summits between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Daniel maintains his current Commercial Pilot Licence to lead from the front in the push to encourage more First Nation Australians to become Commercial Pilots or to be involved in the Aviation Industry.
A:147 Martyn Street, Parramatta Park, QLD 4870
Safety first is our Mantra at Torres Strait Air
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