Geoffrey Dell

Associate Professor/Discipline Leader Accident Investigation and Forensics, CQUniversity Australia

I'm a career safety and accident investigation specialist with 35 years experience. Started as an air safety investigator with TAA in 1979 and was appointed head of safety for Australian Airlines just as the airline was merged with Qantas. Then spent 5 years in senior roles in the Qantas Safety Department. Overall I've conducted countless aircraft accident and incident investigations.

I set up a successful safety consulting business in 1996 and have conducted major accident investigations in many industries including oil and gas, rail, manufacturing and construction as well as many more aircraft accident and incident investigations.

Along the way I've also had contract roles as Head of Safety for the Avalon International Air Show (2009, 2011 & 2013), Australian F1 GP Infrastructure Project (2010, 2011 & 2012) and was the inaugural safety manager at the Australian Synchrotron particle accelerator facility at Monash in Melbourne.

Over the years I've held Board and executive positions with many key industry associations including the US National Safety Council Air Transport Executive, Safety Institute of Australia, Aviation Safety Foundation of Australia, Australasian Airline Flight Safety Council, Washington DC based Flight Safety Foundation Australian Advisory Board and the Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators.

My present appointments include:

Discipline Leader, Accident Investigation and Forensics at Central Queensland University where since 2010 I've led the development of a world first Bachelor of Accident Forensics degree and a Master of Accident Investigation (Specialisation) degree, with specialisations in Aviation, Road, Rail and Industrial accident investigation, and

Since 2007: Independent Safety Advisor to the Board of Directors of Australia's third largest aircraft operator, Cobham Aviation Services, the operators of QantasLink's Boeing B717 twinjet fleet, the Australian Customs (Coastwatch) Bombardier Dash8 turboprop fleet, a fleet of flyin/flyout charter BAe146/Avro RG four engine airliners, a UK based Dassault Falcon 20 twinjet fleet providing air warfare readiness training mission support for the British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy and a UK based helicopter operator providing aircraft and instructors for the prestigious UK Defence Central Helicopter Pilot Training School.

In my spare time (haha), I'm building a Boeing B737-800 simulator as a hobby/recreation interest.