Safer Skies, Stronger Clubs

Gliding Australia Forum Brisbane 2026

Gliding in Australia has always been built on skill, trust, discipline and community. This April, we come together to strengthen all four. Safer Skies, Stronger Clubs is a national forum focused on building better safety, performance and culture across our gliding community 

The Pavilions, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 April 2026
Tickets: $25 

Why This Event Matters

Safety is not just compliance — it’s culture.
Club growth is not just numbers — it’s leadership, viability and vision.

This two-day event brings together Gliding Australia members, sporting and professional aviators, aviation safety authorities, and anyone committed to improving aviation safety and growing the sport of gliding.

Expect honest conversations. Practical workshops. Strategic thinking. And a clear direction for the future.

What You’ll Experience

•  Safety Culture & Human Factors

• Building stronger safety culture and performance

• Insights from safety data and trends

• Human behaviour and its impact on performance and risk

Highlights include:

• Geoff Brown AO (Air Marshal, retired) on building better safety culture

• Drew McKinnie (GAus Safety Manager) on safety performance insights

• Prof Sidney Dekker on safety performance, human behaviour and future growth 

Practical Risk & Towing Safety Workshops

With CASA’s Safety Systems Risk Profile team, we’ll examine:

• Gliding and glider towing safety

• Tug safety and viability

• Pawnee airworthiness pathways

• Risk identification and mitigation workshops

This is practical, operational safety discussion — not theory.

Club Rejuvenation & Growth

How do we strengthen clubs across Australia?

Sessions will explore:

• GAus rejuvenation priorities

• Strategic risks and opportunities

• International insights comparing EU and Australian club cultures.

We’ll close the weekend with forums and Q&A sessions designed to shape real actions and future priorities.

Who Should Attend?

• Club committees and safety officers

• Tug pilots and instructors

• Competition pilots

• Emerging leaders

• Anyone passionate about gliding’s future

If you care about safer operations, stronger clubs and a thriving gliding community — this event is for you.

The Bigger Picture

This is more than a conference.

It’s an opportunity to:

• Align on national safety priorities

• Share lessons across clubs

• Strengthen relationships with CASA colleagues

• Identify practical actions we can take immediately

• Steer the future direction of gliding in Australia 

The conversations we have here will influence how we operate, train, lead and grow.

For $25, you’ll gain insight, connection and clarity about the future of our sport.

Safer skies don’t happen by accident. Stronger clubs don’t happen by chance.  They happen when we show up.

Join us in Brisbane, 18–19 April 2026.