Jake Polkinghorne is an experienced aviation professional whose career spans airline operations, cabin management, aeromedical services and airport safety leadership.
He began his journey into the aviation world at just 18 years old, working at Skywest Airlines. There he gained early exposure to the operational demands of a commercial airline before expanding his skills across Australia’s aviation sector.
Following that, Jake joined Virgin Australia as a cabin supervisor, where he further developed his leadership style and deepened his understanding of passenger operations and team management.
His passion for safety and operations later led him to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), working within flight operations to support critical aeromedical services.
These days Jake serves as the safety and compliance lead at Karratha Airport in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, a role that encompasses airside safety, emergency management, safety management systems (SMS) and airport security.
‘In my role, I handle a bit of everything,’ Jake explains.
‘One minute I might be working in the office, then the next, being called to respond to a safety incident. Other times I might be dealing with a disruptive passenger in the terminal or on an aircraft. It can switch from one high‑stakes situation to another in minutes, so you really do become a jack-of-all-trades over time’.
Challenges of safety management
Jake highlights one of the challenges in safety management is the human element.
‘I take a leadership approach that’s built on clear communication, strong relationships and a genuine commitment to safety culture,’ he says.
‘People skills are essential when applying regulations. It’s about keeping things practical and human‑centred, so everyone understands not just what needs to be done, but why it matters.’
Jake has become deeply embedded in the local aviation community, where he has managed to build strong working relationships with local operators to manage the mix of helicopter operations, general aviation and commercial airline activity that fly into Karratha Airport.
His philosophy centres on maintaining trust, enabling difficult conversations, and reinforcing safety as a shared responsibility rather than a barrier to productivity.
An emerging leader in safety
Jake’s dedication to professional development was recognised through multiple industry honours. After narrowly missing scholarship opportunities in 2024, last year he received both the Australian Airports Association Conference scholarship and the CASA’s safety manager scholarship within days of each other.
‘Grateful and ecstatic!’ Jake laughs when asked to describe his initial reaction.
‘I feel very fortunate. It’s really just been a mix of hard work, passion and doing my best in every role I’ve held, and I’m grateful that it’s led to these opportunities.’
Jake intends to invest his safety manager scholarship by completing a lead auditors course and a managing aviation compliance course, both of which will bring him closer to finishing his Diploma of Quality Auditing.
‘With each of these, I’ll be able to refine my skills and strengthen my ability to support remote aviation operations, especially given the Pilbara’s reliance on limited external resources during critical incidents,’ Jake explains.
He is also committed to improving safety communication across the community. He is currently leading an upgrade of the airport’s safety information systems, including the development of short training videos to improve contractor understanding of key risks such as jet blast and aircraft proximity limits.
Advice for aspiring aviation safety leaders
For those considering a career in aviation safety, Jake advocates for openness, collaboration and a genuine appreciation of safety’s role in protecting lives.
‘Safety isn’t about telling people what they can and can’t do. Rather, safety is about making sure everyone goes home unharmed, and that we have procedures in place to deal with incidents if they happen,’ he says.
‘Safety isn’t just a tick and flick exercise; effective safety practices need to add genuine value when an incident or accident occurs.’
With a combination of operational experience, a passion for emergency management and a clear dedication to continuous learning, Jake exemplifies the professionalism and purpose that drive Karratha and the wider Pilbara’s aviation safety community forward.
Applying for a CASA safety manager scholarship
If you think you have what it takes to be our next safety manager scholarship recipient, read more about this exciting opportunity on our website.
