A changing of the guard at Australia’s aviation safety regulator has seen the national government appoint a departmental deputy secretary as the agency’s first female chief executive.

Pip Spence is due to start as chief executive and director of aviation safety in the next few weeks after working as deputy secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.

The appointment to what has often been a controversial role is for up to five years.

READ: Howard Hughes grand TWA Connie stunt infuriated top brass.

She will be joined in August by Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, who will head the regulator’s board for a three-year term.

Transport Minister Michael McCormack said in a statement that the appointments would bring vast experience to the critical air safety roles.

McCormack said Spence offered substantial experience in aviation policy and regulation as well as government administration and public policy.

This included a strong record of leading organizational change.

“These appointments are a critical part of shaping the makeup of the CASA Board and the culture of the organization more broadly,” McCormack said.

“The depth and breadth of experience that Ms Spence and Air Chief Marshal Binskin bring to bear show the Government is serious about ensuring CASA performs its critical role effectively.

“Their combined skills and experience will be essential for leading this critical regulator in keeping Australians safe while flying, as well as supporting an efficient, effective and reliable aviation industry – which is economically crucial for communities right across the nation.”

Air Chief Marshal Binskin brought outstanding leadership and expertise in both aviation and defense to the board, including significant experience within general aviation, the Minister added.

According to a biography on the Women in Economics Network mentoring site, Ms Spence’s career includes a number of senior leadership roles in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

She was closely involved in the establishment of the National Broadband Network in the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and was awarded a Public Service Medal for her contribution to the telecommunications regulations reform associated with the implementation of the NBN.

She started her government career in the Transport Department, where she worked in a number of aviation-related areas, including as adviser to the then Minister.

She has a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Tasmania and a Graduate Diploma in Economics from the Australian National University.

Howard Hughes’ grand Connie stunt of painting a military aircraft in Transcontinental & Western Airlines ( TWA ) colours infuriated the US top brass.

According to the late Jon Proctor, who was a guest editor for Airlineratings.com, Howard Hughes wanted to publicize the new Lockheed Constellation (Connie), for which he was the driving force.

Lockheed was building the Constellation, originally for TWA, but WW11 saw production switched to the US Air Force.

With an eye to post-war commercial transport, Hughes saw a great opportunity to wave the TWA flag and that of its flagship the Constellation.

And the best way was to break a transcontinental speed record on a Burbank to Washington, D.C., flight in April 1944.

According to Lockheed, the Connie averaged 331 mph, flying nonstop in six hours, 57 minutes, and 51 seconds on this flight.

But the military top brass was totally blind-sided by the TWA paint job and expected the Constellation to roll up in drab olive military guise.

Hughes himself and the airline’s chief Jack Fyre were at the controls and there were 17 passengers on board Proctor reported.

When the Connie arrived in Washington DC, General Henry “Hap” Arnold was furious at the “TWA paint job” stunt but graciously posed for photos with Hughes and others.

According to Lockheed after setting the record, that aircraft was returned to the military and during service testing at Wright Field, Ohio, Orville Wright, who had made the first powered flight, made his last flight, serving as copilot on a test run.

According to TWAmuseum.com after the war on Feb. 5, 1946, the first international flight dubbed “The Star of Paris,” a TWA Connie, lifted off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport destined for Paris via Gander and Shannon.

TWA continued to expand international service with inaugural flights to Rome, Athens, Cairo, Lisbon, and Madrid during the spring of 1946 with the Connie.

The airline was now a major domestic and international air carrier. In 1947 TWA offered the first scheduled transatlantic all-cargo service. On October 30 1955 they put Super G-Constellations into international service from Los Angeles to London.

In 1950 the airline changed the “W” in its name from “Western” to “World” as befitted its new span.

Chinese airports made up seven of the 10 busiest in 2020 with one facility soaring up the ranks from 46^th to ninth thanks to an uneven global recovery from COVID-19.

The Airports Council International World Thursday published its preliminary 2020 world traffic rankings to reveal all in the top 10 were either in China or the US. The rankings cover passenger traffic as well as cargo and aircraft movements.

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READ: Qatar Airways a standout for COVID-19 safety.

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ACI World said global passenger traffic at the top 10 busiest airports decreased by 45.7 percent compared to a wider global average of 54.6 percent

Guangzhou Bai Yun International Airport in China recorded the most passenger traffic in 2020, with Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the US just behind.

Hongqiao International Airport was the airport that galloped up the ranks to ninth, a change ACI said illustrated the uneven nature of the impact of, and recovery from, the pandemic across the world.

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global passenger traffic brought aviation to a virtual standstill in 2020 and we continue to face an existential threat,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said.

“The data published today reveals the challenge airports continue to face and it remains imperative that the industry is supported through direct support and sensible policy decisions from governments to ensure that aviation can endure, rebuild connectivity, and fuel a global economic recovery.

“The findings show that the impact remains uneven with different regions experiencing different challenges and requiring different policy decisions and support from governments to lay the foundation for recovery.

“With some positive signs of recovery, especially in countries with high rates of vaccination, a sustained global recovery will only be realized with an escalation of vaccination campaigns, the continued development of digital health passes, and coordinated and cohesive policy support from governments.”

Air cargo was less impacted by COVID 19, with volumes decreasing by only 8.9 percent to an estimated 109 million metric tonnes in 2020, which was roughly equivalent to 2016 levels.

Air cargo volumes in the top 10 airports grew by 3 percent in 2020 and they collectively represented about 28 percent (30.6 million metric tonnes) of the global volumes in 2020.

ACI attributed the gain to an increase in demand for online consumer goods and pharmaceutical products and personal protective equipment.

It noted a 6.7 percent increase saw Memphis International Airport surpass Hong Kong International Airport.

It estimated there were 58 million global aircraft movements in 2020, representing a drop of 43 percent from 2019.

“The top 10 airports represent 7 percent of global traffic (4.2 million movements) and experienced a drop of 34.3 percent compared to 2019,’’ it said.

“Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport surpassed Chicago O’Hare International Airport, after leading in 2019 and 2018.”

Alaska Airlines has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions to net-zero by 2040 as part of a commitment that includes strengthened near-term carbon, waste and water goals.

Alaska this week signed into The Climate Pledge, co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, which is committed to achieving net-zero carbon a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement.

The Seattle-based carrier said its roadmap to net-zero emissions included five areas: fleet renewal, operational efficiency, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), novel propulsion and “credible, high-quality carbon offsetting technology”.

READ: Qatar Airways a standout for COVID-19 safety.

SEE: Qantas 747 lounge relives the spacious age

It noted its recent 737 MAX order would mean its newest aircraft would have a 22 percent better fuel efficiency per seat than the aircraft they replace and it was using advanced technology to improve flight efficiency.

This included the use of first-of-its-kind artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to optimize flight paths.

Other moves included a near-term goal to halve ground service equipment emissions by 2025 with the introduction of electric equipment and other renewables.

“Long-term plans for achieving net-zero emissions include expanding the market for SAF and exploring and advancing novel propulsion approaches that support electrification technology for regional flying, that are either not dependent on fossil fuels, or more efficient than current methods,’’ the airline said.

“And because aviation is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize, Alaska will also work with science and technical advisory Carbon Direct to identify and vet credible, high-quality carbon offsetting technologies to close any remaining gaps on the path to net-zero.”

Other Alaska initiatives include five-year goals to reduce waste through more sustainable packaging, restarting industry-leading inflight recycling post-COVID and offsetting 100 percent of its operational water use through investments in high-quality habitat projects.

The airline is also this year including a carbon emissions target in the incentive pay program for all 22,000 employees.

“The pandemic sharpened the clarity of our purpose and led us a stronger path forward,’’ said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska’s vice president of public affairs and sustainability.

“But we also know we can’t do this alone and that we must work together with government, manufacturers, innovators and other industry partners to decarbonize aviation.”