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Captain Alex De Silva

Captain Alex de Silva has more than 40 year’s involvement in civil aviation, regionally and internationally, in many related disciplines. Alex is well known for his aviation related expertise and depth of knowledge, and has been acknowledged by his contemporaries as a safety and security expert. This was confirmed when the leading worldwide organization  in aviation safety, The Flight Safety Foundation [FSF],  conferred the prestigious Presidents Citation For Outstanding Service to Safety to Capt de Silva at the International Air Safety Seminar in Paris in October 2006.

Alex has also been acknowledged by the International Air Transport Association [IATA] for his leadership as Chairman of the IATA Security Committee from 1997 – 1999, and as Chairman of the IATA Operational Safety Audit Committee [IOC] from 2007 – 2009.

Capt de Silva was directly responsible for the implementation and maintenance of the highest standards of safety and security that has long been synonymous with Singapore Airlines. He retired as Divisional Vice President Safety, Security and Environment for Singapore Airlines in 2009.

Professional Background

As a pilot, Alex has flown many different aircraft types, from the DC 3, DC 6 and DC 8, to the B 737, B707, B727 and B747. Managing the B727 Fleet for Singapore Airlines, Alex was responsible for ensuring the high morale and technical competence of all his pilots, thus ensuring safe operations. Alex was directly responsible for the conversion training of new pilots on the fleets that he was a Senior Instructor Pilot as well as the command training process for the upgrading of pilots from Senior First Officers to Captains. For this major exercise, Alex had to draw up the criteria for simulator and aircraft training, accomplished in facilities in Singapore, Melbourne and Tokyo.

Alex was asked to head up the Safety and Security Department in Singapore Airlines in the mid – eighties. From a small support unit, Safety and Security Department today has corporate responsibility, overseeing not only Singapore Airlines, but also its subsidiaries, the regional airline Silk air, the long haul airline Scoot, and SIA Engineering Company, with advisory oversight for Tiger air Singapore.

Capt de Silva was responsible for the establishment of a Safety Management System in Singapore Airlines, obtaining the active commitment of the CEO and Senior Management.

Under his guidance, Singapore Airlines was the 1^st airline in Asia to be registered under the International Air Transport Association’s Operational Safety Audit programme that sets the benchmark for aviation safety.