Captain Zahid bin Mohamed is a distinguished aviation professional with over 40 years of experience
Captain Zahid bin Mohamed is a distinguished aviation professional with over 40 years of experience in flight operations, safety oversight, accident investigation, and regulatory compliance. He is a licensed pilot, flight operations inspector, and aviation safety consultant with extensive experience in both Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.
He began his aviation career with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) in 1969, where he served as a Pilot, Flying Instructor, and Head of Basic Flying Training. After more than a decade of military service, he joined the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCA) and eventually became Director of Flight Operations (1998–2002), responsible for surveillance, certification, and licensing in compliance with ICAO Annex 1 and 6.
In 2002, Captain Zahid joined the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE as a Flight Operations Inspector, later serving as Acting Manager of the Air Carrier Section (2013–2021). He led key initiatives such as harmonizing GCAA CAR OPS with EASA Air Ops, introducing Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS), and overseeing operator certification and surveillance across multiple air carriers.
Between 2011 and 2013, he was appointed Head of Compliance & Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), implementing an Integrated Management System (IMS) compliant with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 standards.
He has contributed to numerous ICAO and FAA audit programs, helping Malaysia and the UAE achieve Category 1 safety ratings. His expertise also includes developing regulatory manuals, auditing flight operations, and conducting postholder training for aviation authorities and operators.
Captain Zahid holds Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) from both Malaysia and the UAE, with an Instructor Rating, and has accumulated over 5,500 flight hours, including 3,950 as Pilot-in-Command on aircraft such as Boeing 777, Falcon 900, Citation 550, and Fokker 50.
He is recognized as a strategic aviation leader and safety expert, with deep knowledge in civil aviation regulations, risk management, and flight operations auditing, contributing significantly to aviation safety and regulatory excellence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
