Trevor Wright, founder and Managing Director of Wrights Air, has made an exceptional and enduring contribution to aviation safety and flight standards within Australia, particularly across some of the nation’s most remote and operationally challenging environments.

Over decades of leadership, Trevor has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to safe, disciplined, and professional flying operations in the unique context of outback and regional aviation. Under his guidance, Wrights Air, based in William Creek South Australia, has built a reputation for meticulous operational control, robust risk management, and a safety culture that empowers pilots and staff to prioritise sound judgement above all else. His approach reflects a deep understanding that in remote operations, safety is not a system alone, but a mindset consistently reinforced through leadership, training, and example.

Trevor has been instrumental in setting and maintaining high flight standards across aerial tourism, charter, and specialised operations over some of Australia’s most iconic yet unforgiving terrain. His emphasis on terrain awareness, weather decision-making, fuel planning discipline, and passenger safety has directly influenced generations of pilots operating in similar environments. He has championed structured training, mentoring, and standardisation, ensuring that both experienced and early-career pilots are equipped with the skills and judgement required to operate safely in low-infrastructure, high-consequence settings.

Beyond his own organisation, Trevor’s contribution extends to the broader aviation community. He has consistently supported industry collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the promotion of practical safety lessons learned from real-world operations. His willingness to engage openly on safety matters has strengthened collective understanding across regional and general aviation sectors.

Importantly, Trevor’s leadership style exemplifies the values at the heart of the Captain John Ashton Memorial Award. He leads with humility, credibility, and a clear sense of responsibility for those who fly under his command. His influence is evident not only in operational outcomes, but in the professionalism and safety-first mindset of those he has trained and mentored.

In recognition of his outstanding and ongoing contribution to flight standards, disciplined aviation safety in Australia, particularly in remote operations Trevor Wright is awarded the Captain John Ashton Memorial Award.  

2019  Captain David Evans

2020  Captain Graham Stokes FRAeS

2021  Royal Flying Doctor Queensland Section

2022  not awarded

2023  Captain Mark Tatton

2024  Captain Marcus Grey

2025  Neale Ian Langdon FRAeS