Ugljesa Mihailovic

Aviation Operations & Business Leadership

• Lead and manage the Pel-Air Operations team, fostering a high-performance culture centred on safety, compliance, and operational excellence.
• Oversee aviation operations with a strategic focus on service delivery, efficiency, and alignment to organizational goals across charter activities.
• Drive business integration initiatives to align operational processes, systems, and teams across functions and partner entities, enhancing cross-business collaboration and performance.
• Champion continuous improvement and innovation in systems, procedures, and KPIs to support growth, efficiency, and resilience.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and internal safety standards by maintaining up-to-date operational documentation, processes, and oversight mechanisms.
• Lead emergency and disruption response planning, ensuring effective coordination and mitigation across operations.
• Act as a key liaison between Pel-Air, Rex Airlines, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operational and strategic integration.
• Provide leadership support and shift coverage during staff absences to ensure consistent operational performance.

Charter Business Development & Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage and grow the charter business, overseeing commercial responses, quotations, and operational delivery in alignment with client expectations and regulatory obligations.
• Cultivate strong relationships with charter clients, service providers, third-party operators, and regulators to support business expansion and sustainable operations.
• Identify and pursue new commercial opportunities through active client engagement, market analysis, and solution-focused service offerings.
• Support aircraft brokerage coordination, including third-party liaison and delivery oversight as required.

Crew Records & Compliance Management

• Oversee and manage the integrity of crew records, including licensing, medicals, training, and compliance documentation in accordance with CASA and internal audit standards.
• Lead the rostering of Pel-Air pilots across single-pilot and multi-crew operations, ensuring compliance with fatigue regulations, training requirements, and currency.
• Plan and coordinate crew leave, upcoming check requirements, and future training allocations to maintain operational continuity and regulatory compliance.

• Oversaw daily contractual delivery of aviation services for NSW Air Ambulance, ensuring compliance with SLAs and regulatory obligations.
• Acted as primary liaison between operational teams and NSW Government stakeholders, fostering relationships to support contract performance.
• Led Project Management team during operational transition from previous contractor, establishing effective infrastructure and procedures.
• Monitored KPI metrics for NSW Ambulance Contract, emphasizing operational and safety performance targets.
• Facilitated meetings with senior management to resolve operational challenges at the base.
• Mentored new employees, providing insights into company programs and practices.
• Advised staff on administrative functions, including budgeting, payroll, and scheduling.

• Led and facilitated internal audits in accordance with CASA, AMSA, BARS, and ISO 9001 standards, ensuring regulatory compliance and continuous improvement across the aviation business.
• Served as a Safety Management Systems (SMS) Investigator, conducting incident analyses and supporting risk mitigation initiatives to enhance safety culture and system effectiveness.
• Maintained and updated the Operational Approvals Register to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements and internal compliance frameworks.
• Supported the B737 fleet implementation team, contributing subject matter expertise to ensure safe and compliant operational readiness.
• Assisted in the planning and preparation of Group Management Review meetings and Safety Management Group (SMG) forums, ensuring accurate reporting and strategic alignment of safety objectives.
• Collaborated on external audit preparations, including evidence collation, documentation reviews, and corrective action planning, resulting in successful audit outcomes.

• Knowledge of Airline Operations Systems (MERLOT)
• Knowledge of Airline Crewing Systems and Regulations (EBAs)
• Knowledge of Airline Booking System (SABRE)
• Sound Experience of the GERP (+ 3 RERT exposure)
• Knowledge of Hub and Regional Airports Operations
• Extensive customer service experience (over the phone)
• Experience developing Network disruption recovery plans