Dan Parsons has spent two decades working across the parts of aviation that most people don't see: the regulations, the infrastructure, the operational machinery that makes flight possible and safe. That work has taken him from regional Australian airports to the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, from CASA's regulatory development teams to the frontier of autonomous air mobility with Wisk Aero.

The thread running through all of it is a belief that aviation gets better when the people shaping it think carefully and argue well. That's what this site is for.

Alongside his industry work, Dan is completing a PhD and has published peer-reviewed research spanning aviation safety, wildlife hazard management, and aerospace operations. The research isn't separate from the day job. It's the same set of questions, examined more rigorously.

He is based in Brisbane, Australia, but his career has rarely stayed in one place for long. He has lived and worked across Australia, New Zealand, and the Middle East, and remains drawn to wherever aviation's most interesting problems are being solved.

About this site

The Runway Centreline has been running since 2011. It started as an operational resource for aerodrome professionals. It has become something more focused: research-informed commentary on aviation innovation, safety, and policy, written for people who want analysis, not announcements.

Connect

Dan is always interested in connecting with researchers, policy makers, and industry professionals who take aviation's future seriously. Find him on LinkedIn or reach out via the contact page.

Selected Projects

Featured

Regulatory Development: Modernising Qatar's Aerodrome Regulations

In 2016, the State of Qatar commenced a program to align it’s aviation safety regulations with the European aviation regulatory framework. New EU-based aerodrome regulations were initially promulgated in 2017 but the application of parts of this model were not possible in the Qatari context. Over the next two years, I analysed the local environment and, with the help of my colleagues, developed some appropriate solutions which I formulated into the European model. These amended regulations were promulgated in March 2020.

Operations Management: The "Pain-o-Meter" & Personnel Resourcing

With the Queenstown Airport moving from single shift to extended hours operations , I had to develop a model for personnel resourcing based on more than just gut feel. Using some intense Excel formulas, insights from the team and a healthy dose of logical thought, the "Pain-o-meter" was born. This tool helped me make sense of a six-month flight schedule and the fluctuating requirements of a seasonal, holiday destination airport.

Project Lead: Queenstown Airport Park & Ride

The Queenstown Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in Australasia. It has been experiencing a double digit average growth for over two years. While this type of growth is exciting and good for business, it can be extremely challenging for operations. One area of pain, from both the operational and customer points of view, was the car park.

Contract Management: Shifting Models & Saving Money

Contract management is a distinct discipline and when the contacts you manage are poorly drafted, then problems will arise and persist. While I joined the Moranbah Airport to manage two contracts with problems, I used the experience gained over almost three years to develop new contracts that resulted in an approximately 40% reduction in airport operating costs.

Industry Wide Analysis: The Authorisation Holder Performance Indicator

In late 2011, I was tasked with systematising the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority's process for determining an operator's Surveillance Posture. This is a short story on that project...