Planning for the Aviation Program at UNSW began in 1993 as an initiative of three faculties. It was recognised that the Bachelor of Aviation would need two streams, a flying stream and a management stream, and that a common core of courses would be necessary for both streams. Captain John Faulkner of Qantas Airways Ltd joined the development committee which then comprised Professor Jason Middleton, Mr John Page and Ms Carmel Desmarchelier. Having made a decision to manage flight training standards from the outset, the University employed a Director of Flight Operations, Mr Greg Clynick . The Aviation Program opened its doors to students in 1995 enrolling 11 students, 6 in management and 5 in flying.

In 1996 the Department of Aviation was formed as an independent academic Department within the then Faculty of Science and Technology, and plans were made to employ academic and general staff personnel. Professor Jason Middleton was appointed Head of Department and Mr Rodger Robertson joined shortly thereafter as a Senior Lecturer. In 1998 the Department obtained an Air Operator’s Certificate and flight training continued entirely under Departmental authority. Planning began for academic offerings to include postgraduate coursework (Masters Degree, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate) and these programs were approved and fully operating by 1999. By 2000 Dr Graham Braithwaite had joined the academic staff as a Lecturer, and instructional staff at Bankstown Airport included Mr Len Sales and Mr Ben Young , one of the Department’s first graduates.

Recent appointments as Lecturer include Dr Richard Wu who has interests in operational planning and scheduling and Dr Brett Molesworth who has research interests in human factors and aviation safety.

As of 2004, the Department has a small but rapidly growing research program with a dozen postgraduate research students, five academic members of staff and three general staff housed within the Old Main Building on the UNSW main campus. Areas of research include aviation safety and human factors, operational planning and management and aerial survey work in support of local scientific research. A number of senior industry personnel also contribute to teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Six flight instructors operate from the UNSW Flight Training Facility at Hanger 235 at Bankstown Airport utilising 5 aircraft and 2 flight simulators. Undergraduate student numbers exceed 170, with just under a third of these graduating each year. The postgraduate coursework programs which are delivered by distance learning methods boast over 150 students, and the graduated alumni number over 300. Short courses in accident investigation and human resources are proving popular with students travelling from as far afield as Vietnam as Hong Kong for the 5-day programs.

The Department benefits from strong support at executive level, and from academics from other faculties and schools within UNSW. In addition a strong Industry Advisory Committee led by David Forsyth of Qantas, has ensured continued communication with industry so that programs are relevant and timely. . While making a significant impact on the aviation industry at present, the Department is well positioned to lead academic learning and flight training at University level in the Australasian region.