Ryan’s career approaches take-off
From a childhood cockpit visit aboard a Boeing 737 to answering emergency calls for the Queensland Police Service - Ryan Fitzgibbon has spent more than a decade chasing a dream that shows no signs of slowing down.
Now studying aviation part-time through CQUniversity while working as a Police Emergency Communications Officer, Ryan is determined to combine his passion for flying with his commitment to helping others, with his sights firmly set on one day piloting for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS).
“The day I decided I wanted to be a pilot is still strong in my mind,” Ryan recalled.
“In 2013, I was on a Qantas flight home from Sydney to Brisbane, and at the end of the flight, the captain let my brother and I into the cockpit of the Boeing 737 for a tour and photo opportunity.
“From that moment forward, I was obsessed with becoming a pilot.”
That fascination quickly became an all-consuming pursuit.
From civilian Boeing 737 simulator sessions to introductory flights at local flying schools and gliding courses through the Australian Air Force Cadets, Ryan immersed himself in every aviation opportunity he could find.
While the dream began in the cockpit of a commercial airliner, it evolved through his work on the ground with the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
Since joining the QPS in 2023, Ryan has worked in emergency communications, handling triple-zero calls, dispatching, aviation incident liaison and disaster management coordination for the Cairns Police Communications Centre, while also mentoring new trainees.
The role exposed him to some of society’s most confronting moments - and ultimately cemented the type of pilot he wanted to become.
“In the QPS, I have gained invaluable life experience and seen a side of society that people only ever see in movies and TV shows,” he said.
“I have had the opportunity to help people on what are often the worst days of their lives.
“That ability to make a difference and help people, and the adrenaline rush when the job’s on, is addictive and incredibly rewarding and is why I want to combine my passion for aviation and service to the community as an RFDS pilot.”
Ryan already has about 1350 flight hours under his belt after completing his flight training through Basair Aviation College at Archerfield in Brisbane in 2022.
Ryan describes aviation as “a journey, not a race”.
“When I started training in 2021, my intake had six students,” he said.
“By the time we obtained our licences, I was the only student who kept going and completed the commercial pilot and multi-engine instrument rating courses.
“So many people try to rush through training, rush to find their first pilot job and rush their solo learning. It is important to take your time, do things the right way and ensure you are happy and safe. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your gut – 99 per cent of the time, it's right, and if it's wrong, then you’ve gained a new experience or learnt something new.”
Ryan said aviation training demanded far more than academic ability.
“There is a massive difference between book smart and pilot ability,” Ryan explained.
“Some people really struggled when it came to things like following procedures, understanding how the aircraft behaves and operating safely,” he explained.
“If it were easy, everyone would do it.”
Among Ryan’s most memorable experiences was flying friends over the Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach before landing at Hamilton Island for lunch during a command-building trip from Archerfield to Mackay.
Another flight, however, delivered a very different lesson.
Flying inland via Longreach with fewer than 100 hours of experience, Ryan encountered two hours of moderate-to-severe turbulence across Central Queensland.
“It was very confronting,” he admitted.
“But the most important part of that flight was falling back to the basics - slowing to turbulence penetration speed and having alternate plans ready if conditions worsened.”
Those moments, he said, reinforced one of aviation’s core lessons: always fly the aircraft first.
“It’s something we’re taught from day one: aviate, navigate, communicate,” Ryan said.
“It doesn’t matter what’s going wrong. If you don’t fly the plane, then you won’t be around to tell your epic tale of how you successfully landed.”
Ryan said that returning to study had also helped reignite his aviation ambitions after several years balancing work and flying.
“It has re-lit the flame to keep going with aviation and pursue a career as a pilot,” he said.
While studying part-time and receiving recognition for prior learning from previous study and licensing, Ryan said the flexibility had allowed him to continue building both his aviation experience and career with the QPS.
His ultimate goal is to complete his Airline Transport Pilot Licence subjects and gain airline experience before eventually applying to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
For anyone considering a career in aviation, Ryan has a simple message.
“People who have the bug for flying know it and will chase it,” he said.
“Although it is extremely hard work, expensive and time-consuming, in the end it will be one of the most rewarding things in your life.
“You will be part of the one per cent of people who can fly.”
And if given the chance to fly anywhere in the world tomorrow, Ryan said he doesn’t dream of overseas destinations or famous city skylines.
Instead, he’d point the aircraft west.
“In Queensland, we are incredibly lucky to have some amazing landscapes that very few people get to see from the air,” he said.
“For me, it would be western Queensland over the Channel Country.”
