About Tony Stanton
Published Academic - Applied Psychology
Dr Tony Stanton (PhD, MAvMgmt, PGDipMgmt, FAIM) holds a range of tertiary qualifications including; a Doctorate (PhD), a Master of Aviation Management Degree, a Post Graduate Diploma of Management, and two Certificate IV's in Workplace Training & Assessment.
During his 8-years of extensive research, Tony has published academic journal articles internationally, including establishing a psychological model known as the Compliance Behaviour Model. For over 12 years, Tony has worked as a Sessional Lecturer for Griffith University, where he supports the Master of Aviation Degree.
Aviation - 35 years Experience
Tony's aviation experience includes appointments as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Pilot, Chief Flying Instructor, Head of Operations, and Board Member. Tony has worked as a Senior Executive for the Australian Aviation Regulator, where he held various roles, including Senior Manager of National Operations and Senior Manager of the Flight Standards Branch. Tony is a highly experienced pilot and a current Flight Examiner.
Tony has been engaged as a subject matter expert (SME) to represent the Commonwealth of Australia in court and tribunal procedures and has appeared frequently as CNN's aviation expert across the world.
United Nations (ICAO) - Training & Competency
Tony has been appointed to the ICAO Competency-based Training and Assessment Taskforce (CBTA-TF). ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations.
The CBTA-TF amended ICAO Annex 1 and ICAO Doc 9868 which sets the global regulatory standards for aviation training. Tony attended meetings in Montreal, Paris and Vienna as a member of the ICAO Taskforce.
Tony co-wrote the CASA Australian Flight Examiner Handbook which is a 400 page official text that sets the requirements for all flight testing in Australia. Tony also developed Australia's first Flight Examiner Rating Course.
Airline Transport Pilot Licence & Flight Examiner
Tony's aviation qualifications are extensive and include the highest level of pilot licence - an Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and a Flight Examiner Rating.
Tony is approved by the Australian Regulator (CASA) to conduct flight tests for the grant of Australian Pilot Licence i.e., Private and Commercial Pilot Licences. He holds an Australian Flight Examiner Rating.
Tony is also approved to conduct flight tests and proficiency checks for Instrument Ratings, Instructor Ratings, Night Ratings. He is an experienced aerobatics and low-level instructor.
Former Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Executive
Tony was a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) with the Australian Aviation Regulator, where he held various senior roles, such as Senior Manager of Flight Standards (policy and regulations) and Senior Manager of National Operations and Strategy (national operational teams). Tony has been the delegate for the Australian regulator responsible for the granting (or not) of various aviation Certificates and Authorisations. As the ultimate decision-maker Tony has extensively been the delegate for determining a large range of enforcement matters. Tony therefore has a unique insight into this process and how to navigate it.
Space Operations - Area Approvals (CASR 101)
Tony was appointed by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) to the Australian Government Space Co-ordination Committee (SCC). The SCC is the national forum for coordinating the Australian Government’s activities and priorities in all civil space activities.
For over six years, Tony was the Australian Government (CASA) delegate for granting Area Approvals for the launch of all high-powered rockets and space objects within Australian Territory. CASA Area Approvals manage the risk of an accident within Australian airspace from the launch site to 100 km above the Earth.
Our Team of Experts Includes
Ash Mc Alpine
Ash McAlpine has been actively engaged in aviation for 35-years and in safety management roles for most of the last 20+ years. Until recently he was the Director of Aviation for BA Aviation, a division of Biodiversity Australia and has now taken up the challenges and rewards of being an independent aviation consultant.
In 2022, Ash was awarded an Australia Day Medallion for his work and contribution to State (national) aviation safety management in Australia. Ash has been an active Steering Committee representative on the Safety Management International Collaboration Group (SM ICG) and remains a State (Australian) representative on several Asia-Pacific and Global ICAO Working Groups; including the Wildlife Hazard Management Expert Group. Ash is also one of only three State-level system-maturity evaluators worldwide; used by ICAO in the State Safety Programme evaluations.
Ashley completed 34-years with the Royal Australian Air Force and over 10-years with CASA in the Safety Systems Branch. Prior to CASA Ash was a crew-member on C130 Hercules aircraft, later an Air Traffic Control Officer and an Aerodrome Safety Manager both within Australia and overseas; subspecialising in roles including Aerodrome Safety & Emergency Management, Wildlife Hazard Management, Laser Safety & Aviation Risk Management and Aviation Safety Training & Facilitation; he continues this relationship today as an active RAAF Reservist.
Mark Eade
Mark’s expertise across a broad range of commercial and public law practice areas sees him acting and advising international corporations, insurers, external administrators, government departments and individuals in public and private law litigation.
Appearing (mostly unled) in all State and Federal Courts, tribunals and inquests, Mark’s work predominantly focusses on complicated commercial disputes in the areas of insurance, personal and corporate insolvency, class actions and professional negligence, as well as economic tort claims and succession matters. Increasingly, his experience in these areas involves working closely with large teams in highly complex and challenging litigation. His wide-ranging public law practice, which combines judicial and merits review, ranges from cases concerning the coronial jurisdiction and disciplinary matters to environmental challenges. Australian Financial Review Best Lawyers® list Mark as a leading Australia junior counsel in Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Prior to being called to the Bar, Mark was the Associate to the Honourable Chief Justice Paul de Jersey AC (as his Excellency then was), Justice Peter Flanagan and Justice Ann Lyons. Mark was a sessional academic in Ethics, Corporate Law and Evidence Law at the Queensland University of Technology and has undertaken a number of research positions for the Australian Centre for Health Law Research.
Tarin Stanton
With a background managing and leading teams for over 20 years, Tarin runs our engine room.
Tarin handles our project coordination and sequencing across multiple concurrent assessments, audits and advisory tasks. She allocates work, monitors consultant progress against commitments, and keeps communication tight between analysts, clients and stakeholders. The practical effect is predictable delivery for our clients.
Tarin is skilled at ensuring we consistently deliver high quality outputs, by conducting our internal quality assurance functions. With an eye for detail and a mind for questioning, Tarin reviews each and every one of our deliverables (reports, witness statements, assessments and advisory outputs) prior to release. That review is not technical authorship — it is structured assurance: consistency, clarity, traceability of conclusions and alignment between evidence and statement. The aim is simple: documents that stand up to regulators, legal scrutiny and executive decision-making the first time.
Tarin also manages all Strategic Air media coordination, including television and radio engagements, keeping public-facing communication controlled, precise and aligned with the firm’s professional position.