02/06/2026
๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐น ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐น๐๐บ๐ป๐ถ, ๐ฎ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐บ๐ป๐ถ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ.
Daniel De Bono
Andrew Gilbey recently had the pleasure of catching up with another of the School of Aviationโs Bachelor of Aviation Management graduates, Daniel De Bono. Daniel was in the first Aviation Research Methods class that Andrew taught at Massey, way back in 2005, and completed his studies the same year, graduating in May of 2006.
Intriguingly, Daniel started out to become a pilot in Cohort 40 of the Bachelor of Aviation degree. However, even although he had good grades, he chose to transfer to the Aviation Management programme because he felt it could be a better fit for his skill set. So, was that a good choice? Letโs see.
Danielโs first aviation employment was with Queenstown Airport as a technical writer reviewing the airportโs suite of certification and operational documentation, which he began immediately after finishing his studies. After a few months, still at Queenstown, he moved to become Airport Administration Manager, working on the provision of airport services and taking a lead in stakeholder relationships. One year on, and still just 23, Daniel became the Queenstown Airport Operations Manager, where he led several projects, including operational preparedness for the introduction of Jetstar Airways.
After more than five years with Queenstown Airport, Daniel moved to Wellington Airport, initially as an Airport Manager, and then as Manager of Airfield and Airport Fire Service, where he worked on several high-profile projects for more than 3 years. Next, was a short stint with GroupEAD Asia Pacific, a joint venture between a Spanish company specialising in navigation services and Airways NZ as Manager of Aeronautical Information Management. Then it was back to the South Island and Dunedin Airport as General Manager of Infrastructure and Service Delivery, where, amongst a host of other duties, he led the development of Dunedin Airportโs 20-year master plan. Three years prior to us hearing about COVID, in 2019, Daniel stepped away from airports to work as an independent aviation consultant, then, away from aviation altogether, for Southern District Health Board, first as a project manager and then as the Service Manager for the Southern Blood and Cancer Service. While aviation and health might seem quite different, we agreed that the two industries actually have much in common. But it wouldnโt be long!
After a year away, the call of working in Airports was clearly too much, and Daniel moved back to Dunedin Airport, initially as General Manager Operations and Infrastructure, then 3 months as acting Chief Executive, and finally, where we find him today, as Chief Executive. In Dec 2022, the Otago Daily Times did a feature of their new Airport CEO, โโLocal boy lands top airport jobโ where it was observed that โDaniel stood out as an experienced aviation professional who has already proven himself in various senior leadership roles across New Zealandโโ. At the time of his appointment, Dunedin was no longer an International Airport. On that topic, Daniel is quoted as saying that โI will continue working with our airline partners to better connect the city and lower South Island to Australiaโฆ. I know many people on both sides of the Tasman miss that direct connection into our great cityโ. Good to his word, Jetstar flights from Dunedin to the Gold Coast resumed mid 2025!
When talking about his role at Dunedin, Daniel had no hesitation in replying that one of the best parts of it was leading an amazing team of people and getting work done. When pushed, Danielโs modesty was still apparent when he said he helps make the conditions for good things to happen. Well, heโs certainly doing something very right to have got where he is today.
Outside work, Daniel is a family man with a young daughter. Very wisely, he makes sure to protect his family time, which includes skiing, boating, gardening and even DIY. And, of course, like a lot of people in aviation, Daniel follows the aviation news โ including watching the โ3 minutes of aviation videosโ on You tube.
Andrew always makes sure he asks our alumni for some words of advice for current aviation students or recent graduates. What Daniel says has worked for him is to be inquisitive โ donโt give up - keep your eyes open for opportunities - donโt be fixated on one pathway; there are many ways you can get to where you want to be. When you get your foot-in the door, youโll find other opportunities open when you show what you can do. Itโs clearly worked for Daniel!
I asked earlier if changing degree programmes was a good choice โ I think that the evidence speaks for itself. And Daniel agrees.
All of us at the School of Aviation will be following Danielโs career and wish him all the best.
