Former Captain flies into Channel Islands’ top aviation role

Thursday 19 July 2018

A former pilot with over 30 years’ international experience has been appointed to oversee all that flies through Channel Island skies.

Dominic Lazarus has now stepped into the role of Director of Civil Aviation across Jersey and Guernsey.

Mr Lazarus, who was once a Senior Captain at Cathay Pacific Airways, will be responsible for everything from meteorological services for air navigation, reviewing developments in aviation law, maintaining standards and ensuring that airlines operating locally keep in check.

The new aviation head was appointed through a pan-island recruitment exercise that saw a total of 36 applicants. That was then whittled down to nine who were interviewed over the phone, and then four, who were scrutinised in person.

Pictured: Senator Ian Gorst, the Minister for External Relations, welcomed the appointment.

But it was Mr Lazarus, who has most recently served as a Specialist Consultant for the Aviation Insurance sector, who won the job. It will be jointly funded by both islands, which officials said they hoped would “enable significant cost saving and consistent policy formation across the Islands.”

“I am very privileged to take on this new challenge and look forward to continuing the development and evolution of the aviation sector in both Bailiwicks during these fluid and dynamic times,” the new aviation head commented. 

The External Relations Minister, Senator Ian Gorst, said that Mr Lazarus would bring “valuable experience to the office of the DCA.”

His appointment follows the departure of former aviation top dog Gus Paterson, who left the role he had held since 2014, in December to work in Guernsey’s Education, Sport and Culture department.

Pictured: The former DCA, Gus Paterson, is now the CEO of new airline, Waves.

Then last month, he became CEO of new airline Waves, which marketed itself as an ‘Uber of the sky’.

The Deputy DCA covered the “day-to-day functions of the office” in the interim, according to the Director of Civil Aviation’s Annual Report. That cover will now end as Mr Lazarus takes on his new role with immediate effect.

He will officially be sworn into the role in Jersey’s Royal Court on Friday.