Visiting Fellow

Boyd Falconer is consultant at the Department of Aviation. He is also a licensed commercial pilot (CPL). His consulting interests include human factors and safety culture in large organisations. He is a former Royal Australian Air Force pilot of both single-pilot and multi-crew aircraft, and military Qualified Flying Instructor pilot (QFI). His PhD research examined human performance within the high-risk environment of Australian Defence Force (ADF) aviation. He has facilitated Crew Resource Management (CRM) training and was a member of the ADF advisory group that developed aircraft-specific CRM training throughout ADF aviation. Boyd holds a Science Degree in Mathematics, an Aviation Degree in Human Factors and Diplomas in Management and Aviation Instruction. He is an officer graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, a Sir Richard Williams Scholar and Spitfire Memorial Defence Fellow. Boyd is an experienced report author, and provides expert opinion services for litigation proceedings through the UNSW consulting arm NewSouth Global.

Boyd specialises in the areas of aviation safety, human factors and safety culture. He provides expert witness testimony and consults to both industry and government. His research interests focus upon organisational psychology – particularly large employee groups in control of complex, high-hazard, sociotechnical systems. His research and consulting interests and experience lie in the areas of operational aviation, safety culture, incident and accident investigation and analysis, risk and safety management, communication in safety-critical environments and consulting processes. Prior to joining UNSW Aviation, Boyd was an advisor in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, following thirteen years as a pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He is also trained in counseling and group facilitation, putting these skills to considerable use as a specialist instructor at the RAAF Advanced Flight Training School. In this role, he designed and conducted remediation flying training for ab-initio and advanced pilot trainees. Boyd is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society (MRAeS), International Society of Air Safety Investigators (AMISASI) and Australian Aviation Psychology Association (AAvPA).