Celebrating 20 Years of Southpac Aerospace in 2024

As the region’s leading provider of aviation quality and safety training, this significant milestone demonstrates the commitment to excellence that has been at the heart of the organisation for the past two decades.

Founded by Richard Bucknell in the early 2000’s, the company started out with one highly regarded course – the Safety & Lead Auditors Course – which has grown from strength to strength in that time. Southpac Aerospace was registered as a company in 2004, and adding more auditor, investigator and systems training to the course list, became a Registered Training Organisation in 2011.

CEO Andy Shone joined the company as General Manager in 2011 and has led Southpac in the capacity of CEO since 2014. “We are still a family-owned business, and even as we’ve grown, Southpac has always felt like a family,” he said. “Celebrating 20 years is a significant achievement, and one that we are extremely proud of. We’ve trained nearly 10,000 professionals over those 20 years, and to know that we’ve made a genuine impact on safety and quality within the aviation industry is what drives us forward.”

Over the past 20 years, Southpac Aerospace has led the way, challenging industry norms, encouraging innovation, and ensuring people are seen as the solution to success.

Building on a solid foundation as a leading training provider, Southpac is now branching into new markets to deliver excellence to the broader aviation sector.

“We’ve built a team of exceptionally experienced, trusted advisors who are taking the Southpac name into more areas of aviation outside of training. Our advisory team has a broad scope to support safe aviation operations – not just for aviation organisations but for companies that rely on safe aviation operations, including in the mining and resources sector.”

Southpac’s consulting and advisory services now range from management systems development and audits, through to airport master planning and aviation security.

Underpinning every service is Southpac’s commitment to quality, which has only strengthened over the 20 year journey.

“Our mission has always been to equip organisations with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to thrive. By educating personnel at all levels, we’ve supported continuous learning that empowers individuals throughout their careers, and contributes to a resilient aviation industry,” Andy said.

“As we celebrate 20 years of Southpac Aerospace, we extend our gratitude to our clients, partners, and the entire aviation community, and look forward to many more years of elevating the standards of aviation safety and quality.”