Meet Your Air Safaris Lead Pilots

Our lead pilots are an important part of what makes our air safaris so incredible. With decades of flying experience, you can rest assured that you’re in good hands. They’re also infectiously personable in-air tour guides who and take pride in showing you their home country. Your only job is to enjoy your unforgettable air safari experience – let our lead pilots take care of the rest!

Graham King (Australia)

Graham has been flying all his life. He learned to fly as a young man in the ’60s with the RAAF Training Corps in Sydney and got his PPL before he had his driver’s license. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Sydney and became a practicing lawyer, flying all over New South Wales to make court appearances.

Graham bought an A-Model Comanche in 1984, which he flew with his family throughout eastern Australia, and he joined the Darling Downs Aero Club a year later. He served 10 years as Club president and for many years flew single engine charters for the Club whenever possible.

In the fall of 2008 Graham retired from the practice of law and is now the Managing Director of Darling Downs Aero Club and a flight instructor.

A.J. (Jack) Thompson (Australia)

Jack has logged more than 21,000 hours and has flown into every continent and over every ocean. He earned his wings on tiger moths, chipmunks and C-150’s at the Darling Downs Aero Club in the 1960s before moving on to the “big birds.” He worked as a commercial pilot, and later as a training pilot, for Trans Australia Airlines from 1964 to 1989, and later flew for 12 years with an aircraft leasing company based in Hong Kong. Over his career he’s flown many different types of aircraft from single-engines to B767s.

Jack retired from the airlines in 2001 and settled in Toowoomba. He now flies numerous light aircraft on a casual basis as a charter pilot.

Mike Brooker (Canada)

Mike’s first memories of flying were sitting on his father’s lap in a Beech 18 working on his straight and level skills. He too has been flying his whole life and earned his PPL over 40 years ago. Although initial plans to become a commercial airline pilot didn’t materialize, due to the needs of the family business, Mike has earned his CPL, ME, IFR and Night ratings.

Since his retirement from the business world, he has enjoyed getting back into regular flying with the purchase of his Beech 36TC in 2004 and has flown throughout North America and Mexico.

Mike also has a unique perspective in that he was an Air Safaris International customer, having toured with us on the May 2007 Outback & Reef tour in Australia.