Avlaw 2024 Year in Review

With the help of a dedicated team in our Sydney Head Office and some of the most experienced and qualified aviation professionals in the world that we are fortunate enough to call ‘Avlaw Consultants’, we were able to continue to increase our footprint and deliver more complex projects, all without compromising on quality along the way.

As we head into what will be our 15th year of operation, the fundamentals of what has allowed us to reach this point remain unchanged and will not be compromised as we embark on what we are sure will be another year of outstanding achievements and satisfied clients.

As was the case this time last year, we have handpicked some highlights from the year that was and invite you to take a look back at a successful 2024 with us.

BARS (a summary by Office Manager, Ms Melissa Tracey)

Avlaw reached new heights in the BARS Program in 2024, breaking our previous record of total number of audits conducted in a year for a third time running. This brought us to a new milestone, completing our 250th BARS audit. 

In addition to the Asia Pacific region, Avlaw saw growth in the number of BARS audits completed in North America and South America which will be a strategic focus for the company in 2025.

Avlaw’s BARS auditing team continued to expand with additional auditors added to our team globally, from Australia, North America and Asia.

Audit observations conducted by the Avlaw office in Perth, Australia and Newcastle, Australia during the year strengthened our commitment to maintaining the highest quality standards for BARS audits.

This year, we also participated in the Audit Review Meeting in Perth, Australia, alongside Technical Advisory Committee meetings in both Perth, Australia, and Calgary, Canada. These forums provided vital opportunities to discuss key developments and contribute to the ongoing growth of the BARS Program.

Further information about Avlaw’s BARS services can be found here.

Airspace and Construction (a summary by Managing Director, Mr Amin Hamzavian)

Avlaw continued to cement its role as the go-to aviation consultant of the construction industry, with over 40 development sites assessed in 2024 alone, including our first renewable energy project in the form of a wind farm in Tasmania.

We expect 2025 to be a continuation of this fast pace, particularly with Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport expected to open in 2026. Operational readiness continues to ramp up at the airport and there are still plenty of key elements of supporting industrial and commercial development missing in the surrounding areas. We expect there to be a sense of urgency to approve and complete developments in 2025, which will continue to require aeronautical impacts to be assessed prior to proceeding.

Demand for these services expanded into regional towns and interstate as the trend towards high density living seen along the east coast of Australia for a number of years begins to spill over into other regions.

Further information on Avlaw’s services to the construction industry can be found here.

Aviation Advisory – BARS Members Organisation (Mining Companies) (a summary by Quality Assurance Manager, Ms Amalina Jumary)

On top of juggling our hectic Avlaw BARS auditing schedule, we have been kept busy with our involvement with mining companies that are BARS Members Organisation. The Avlaw network was activated and mobilised to seven mining sites in five countries across five continents – that’s quite a feat! 

From delivering the fundamentals of aviation training for mining professionals, to conducting safety audits of their aviation providers, to providing support to mining companies through our aviation expertise, we certainly demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing aviation safety in the resource sector.

Aviation Expert Witness (a summary by Senior Audit Program Manager, Ms Fallon D’Souza)

Avlaw continues to show diversity in its Aviation Expert Witness services, with a vast range of Expert Witness enquiries coming through in 2024.

Avlaw sought and utilised Expert Witnesses with knowledge and experience in fixed-wing firefighting operations, redevelopments, military career progression, specialised fixed-wing and rotary operations and aircraft corrosion, with many of these matters continuing into 2025.

Avlaw’s Aviation Expert Witness network extends throughout Australia and internationally and continues to be a key reason why we are referred to by clients. We are fortunate to have such a skilled and diverse consultant base which allows us to continue to service the often unique needs of our clients.

Further information on Avlaw’s Aviation Expert Witness services can be found here.

Honourable mentions to a few other highlights from the year that was 2024…

• Avlaw’s Managing Director Amin Hamzavian was nominated in two categories (Planning and Legal) in The Urban Leader Awards for his contribution to assessing the aeronautical impacts of property developments on aviation safety.
• Avlaw struck up a partnership with Skyportz who are at the forefront of turning vertiports and all things associated with the Urban Air Mobility market from concept to reality – see more here.
• Avlaw’s South American Regional Contact, Mr Alejandro Oms, presented at the Polaris Aero Aviation Safety Breakfast held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The presentation focused on Safety and Risk Management amongst South American aircraft operators and the Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) Program – see more here.

We ended last year’s review by acknowledging the loyalty and support of our clients, consultants and suppliers that have been instrumental to Avlaw’s success and it would be remiss to not mention it again. We said we’d do it again in 2024 and we did, so let’s go again in 2025.

On behalf of everyone at Avlaw Aviation Consulting, we wish you and your loved ones a happy and safe Festive Season. Take this chance to rest and recover, because we all know that this time next year, we’ll all be sitting around asking each other “Where did the last year go?”