Meet Our Pilots, Your Hosts
Kirkhope Aviation has almost 50 years experience flying around Australia. Our qualified pilots are all instrument rated, commercial and professional.
All Australian Air Safaris Outback Air Tours and Custom Air Tours operate with one pilot, who also act as your tour guide and personal organiser, while assisted by local guides who share our passion for this country.
Out multi-talented pilots/tour manager are some of the most experienced and dedicated in the industry, with a combined 20,000+ hours of flying time. The pilot leads the group, making sure everyone is engaged. We listen to any problems and issues and you can be assured you are in good hands, flying with Australian Air Safaris.
Tony Kirkhope - Owner and Founder
Tony Kirkhope is the founder / owner of Kirkhope Aviation and a pioneer of air touring in Australia, operating outback tours for 50 years! Tony started flying in Wollongong while working as an engineer and turned his hobby of weekend outback flying with friends into a business.
The business soon grew and in the 2000s Kirkhope Aviation under Tony’s guidance acquired a Piper Navajo and Piper Chieftain, then subsequently followed it up in 2011 when it purchased the Beechcraft 200 Super King Air.
Recently he has relinquished the role of Chief Pilot and so does not fly tours but continues as an active mentor.
When he’s not navigating the skies, you’ll find Tony navigating the waters as a member of Cowes Yacht Club, enjoying weekends down at Phillip Island, or at his farm at Gembrook.
Jacob Gatt - Head of Flying Operations
Jacob is our Head of Flying Operations with over 10 years of experience, mentoring pilots across our Piper Chieftain and Cessna Grand Caravan EX fleet while flying the Beechcraft King Air. He’s dedicated to developing new pilots and ensuring top safety and operational standards across our Australian tours. His favourite is the Taste of the Outback, revisiting the iconic landscapes of his early flying days—William Creek, Lake Eyre, Birdsville and the Flinders Ranges.
Keith Siler - Touring Pilot
Keith has worked with AAS founder Tony Kirkhope since 1979 and has an exceptional knowledge of the Australian Outback. Over 40 plus years of tours. Keith has seen almost every corner of Australia and loves sharing his intimate local knowledge with guests.
Keith's favourite destination is Lord Howe Island, the heritage listed jewel off the east coast of Australia
Rob Thomas - Touring Pilot
Rob returned to Australian Air Safaris in 2022 as a Touring Pilot. Rob has been flying for more than 20 years, including flying throughout Australia and the USA.
Having spent time based in Cairns, Rob's favourite tour is the Cape York Air Safari - the breathtaking Great Barrier Reef against the stunning backdrop of the Great Dividing Range makes a fantastic mix of sights and destinations.
Callum Jones - Touring Pilot
Callum joined Australian Air Safaris for the 2024 season after several years of flying across outback South Australia and the Northern Territory. His experience includes station work and scenic flight operations over iconic regions such as the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre. Callum is passionate about showcasing Australia’s vast and remote landscapes from the air, delivering enjoyable, and memorable travel experiences for every passenger.
Tom Bouchier | Touring Pilot
Tom joined Australian Air Safaris in 2024 as a charter pilot on the Cessna Grand Caravan EX and the Piper Chieftain. Originally from Geelong, Tom has recently migrated to Melbourne and has extensive experience flying over Bass Strait to King Island and northern Tasmania. When not flying air safaris, Tom flies scenic aerobatics flights for a local warbird operator in a Nanchang CJ-6A.
Roy Coleiro | Touring Pilot
Roy joined Australian Air Safaris in December 2024, bringing 15 years of aviation experience and a background in aircraft maintenance. Based in Alice Springs, he flew extensively across Central Australia.
Passionate about aviation and the outback, Roy’s favourite tour is the Great Southern Islands for its food, wildlife and scenery
David Hayward - General Manager
David studied Australian Tourism Management at Monash University and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. He is passionate about travel for growth, filling his life with as many different experiences as possible and sharing them with others.
He is the General Manager at AAS and has been with the company for seven years. His favourite destination so far is Bamurru Plains in the NT.
Jarrod Mecca - Air Tour Coordinator
Jarrod joined AAS as an Air Tour Coordinator in 2020, having previously worked as an Operations Coordinator for Hamilton Island Air in Queensland. Prior to this, Jarrod graduated university with a Bachelor of Aviation (Management) and Bachelor of Business.
Jarrod enjoys combining aviation and tourism to create unforgettable air safari tours.
Meredith Lang - Air Tour Coordinator
Meredith joined the AAS team in 2022, bringing 30 years of tour operations experience to her current role as Air Tour Coordinator.
Meredith is dedicated to ensuring every detail is taken care of and loves hearing the unique experiences our guests have enjoyed on their air safari.
Vicki Malcher - Air Tour Coordinator
Vicki has worked in tourism for over 40 years, mostly focussing on Australian product for the international market. She has worked for Australian Air Safaris since 2019, designing and booking itineraries.
David Sugar - Operations Manager
David joined Australian Air Safaris for 2024 as the company's Operations Manager. David brings with him a wealth of aviation experience - a professional pilot who has previously managed several other charter and scenic flight businesses throughout Australia.
Luke Moulton-Brooks - Safety Manager
Luke has been Australian Air Safari's Safety Manager since 2022, bringing a decade of experience in airline operations with him. Having previously managed programs at a major airline, Luke is also a qualified pilot.