Clyde Thomson worked for the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (SE Section) for 40 years as a Pilot, Chief Pilot, Operations Manager, and, for the last 28 years, as Chief Executive Officer.
Based in Broken Hill, he oversaw the expansion of operations from a single base with two aircraft to three states with five locations and 18 aircraft. Total assets grew from $14 million to $143 million, while annual income rose from $6 million to $70 million.
Clyde also presided over the RFDS National Aviation Committee, which formulates national aviation policy and risk management systems for all sections, encompassing 22 bases and over 60 aircraft. On regular occasions, he was called upon by other sections to conduct management and aviation audits of their operations.
Clyde retired from full-time employment in 2014, after 40 years of providing aeromedical services to the community.
Previously, Clyde worked as a surveyor and pilot for Geo Surveys and as the General Manager of Arkaroola Enterprises, where he was responsible for all aviation, tourism, and pastoral operations.
CURRENT POSITIONS
- Chairman of the Board, AMREF Flying Doctors, Nairobi, Kenya, since July 24, 2020 to date. Prior to that, Clyde served as a Director on the board of AMREF Flying Doctors from 2012 until 2019, when his term expired.
- Chairman of the Board, Destination Country and Outback NSW (Strategic Development of tourism and infrastructure in rural NSW).
- Member, University of NSW School of Aviation Advisory Committee since 2014.
- Guest lecturer on “Strategy in Aviation” at the University of NSW School of Aviation.
