IFALPA ASIA-PACIFIC LEADERS Captain Anna Wakelin has been appointed as a regional vice-president (RVP) in the Asia-Pacific region (South of Pacific) for the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Association (IFALPA) . She takes over from Captain David Griffin (New Zealand) and is the first woman to hold this senior position. Originally from New Zealand, Captain Wakelin moved to Australia in 2006. She holds a master’s degree in aviation management, and is currently pursuing a law degree in Melbourne where she now lives. Most recently Captain Wakelin was a captain on the Airbus A320 aircraft type with Tigerair, flying domestically within Australia. At Tigerair she also worked as a flight operations safety officer assisting with internal safety investigations; and as a non-technical skills facilitator. Before this she flew as a first officer on Fokker 50 aircraft with Alliance Airlines. Captain Wakelin has also worked as a flight instructor in New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia, holding an A-category instructor rating in New Zealand and grade one instructor rating in Australia with aerobatic, instrument, and instructor training privileges.
In addition to volunteering her time to IFALPA and the AFAP, other volunteer work has included flying for the Auckland Volunteer Coastguard Air Patrol, flight instruction at the Walsh Memorial Scout Flying School, media liaison and safety officer for the Around New Zealand Air Race and Air Safari. and various roles within the Australian Women Pilots’ Association. She was also elected to serve on the board of the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive, an international group backed by pilot and cabin crew unions and other interested parties, seeking solutions to improve the quality of aircraft cabin air. With an interest in flight safety and human factors, Captain Wakelin also continues to work with the AFAP’s safety and technical team as a pilot representative. “In taking on this new role at IFALPA, I look forward to further representing the interests of Australian and regional pilots in international forums through IFALPA,” Pilots leading the Asia-Pacific region for IFALPA are: Capt Anna Wakelin (Australia) – RVP South of Pacific Capt Max Matsumoto (Japan) – RVP North of Pacific Capt Ron Hay (USA) – RVP US/Central East Pacific Capt Ishtiaque Hossain (Bangladesh) – Executive Vice President. Asia & Pacific Capt Farouk Zaheer (Malaysia) – RVP, Asia/East Capt Shavantha Pedris (Sri Lanka) – RVP, Asia/West
From left, IFALPA Asia-Pacific leaders Capt Max Matsumoto (Japan), Capt Anna Wakelin (Australia), Capt David Griffin (New Zealand), Capt Ron Hay (USA), Capt Ishtiaque Hossain (Bangladesh), Capt Farouk Zaheer(Malaysia) & Capt Shavantha Pedris (SriLanka) at the Global Pilots’ Symposium (26 May 2022).
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