Captain Syed Zainal bin Mohamed is a veteran aviation professional with over 40 years
Captain Syed Zainal bin Mohamed is a veteran aviation professional with over 40 years of experience in civil aviation safety oversight, flight operations, compliance management, accident investigation, and training, including 38 years of service in civil aviation authorities.
He began his career with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) in 1969 as a Pilot and Flying Instructor, later becoming Head of Basic Flying Training. In 1981, he joined the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCA), where he rose to the position of Director of Flight Operations.
In 2002, Captain Zainal joined the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE as a Flight Operations Inspector, progressing to Acting Manager of the Air Carrier Section (2013–2021). His responsibilities included certification and surveillance of air operators, policy formulation, harmonization of GCAA CAR OPS with EASA regulations, and introduction of Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS).
Between 2011 and 2013, he served as Head of Compliance and EHS at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), leading the implementation of an Integrated Management System covering ISO 9001, 14001, and OHSAS 18001 standards.
More recently, Captain Zainal has worked as a consultant for AOC development and regulatory compliance, supporting aviation startups in the UAE and Oman in manual preparation, system setup, and post holder training for GCAA certification.
He holds Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) from both Malaysia and the UAE, with an Instructor rating, and has logged over 5,500 flight hours, including 3,950 as Pilot-in-Command. He has type ratings on Boeing 777, Fokker 50, Falcon 900, Citation 550, and other aircraft.
Captain Zainal has served on multiple ICAO and FAA audit teams, contributing to Category 1 success ratings for both the DCA and GCAA. He authored several working papers presented at the ICAO General Assembly, focusing on ground operations, flight planning, and safety enhancement across Middle Eastern and African aviation authorities.
With a proven record in aviation regulation, policy development, risk management, and safety systems implementation, Captain Zainal is recognized as a highly respected aviation expert and mentor in the field of civil aviation safety oversight.
