The Connellan Airways Trust has named Todd Fogarty, a commercial pilot who grew up on Lucy Creek Station in Central Australia, as the recipient of the 2026 Roger Connellan Award.

The $10,000 award will support Todd to complete his Grade 3 flight instructor rating, a qualification that allows him to teach pilots from their very first lesson. His longer-term goal is to support flight training and checking in Central Australia, a region that has had difficulty providing consistent flight training.

Todd's aviation story began on Lucy Creek Station, around 430 kilometres north-east of Alice Springs, where the highlight of his week was meeting the Friday mail plane. He earned his Recreational Pilot Licence at 15 and completed his Commercial Pilot Licence at 19. In the time since, he has logged around 1,100 hours as station pilot at Narwietooma Station, as a training and checking pilot flying Lake Eyre scenic flights out of Marree in South Australia, and now as company pilot for Curley's Cattle Transport in Cloncurry, Queensland.

Todd plans to undertake his instructor rating at Phil Unicomb Aviation in Cessnock, NSW, over December 2026 and January 2027. The school is known for its focus on defensive flying and aerodynamic understanding, which matches Todd's own commitment to safety.

As an instructor, Todd hopes to focus on defensive flying that addresses controlled flight into terrain and loss of control in flight, two types of accident that are over-represented in rural Australian aviation. He also wants to help build a stronger training, checking and support network for newer station pilots, who often have little access to aviation guidance.

"General aviation is a crucial lifeline for remote and rural Australia, and heavily reliant on ongoing training, checking and support," Todd said. "Unfortunately, many of those reliant on aviation in regional and remote areas are unable to access flight training services as easily as those in the major centres.

"With the support of the Roger Connellan Award, I intend to complete my Grade 3 instructor rating, allowing me to instruct pilots from the beginning of their training. I would like to use this rating to help provide consistent flight training and checking, as well as an aviation support network for pilots throughout Central Australia, so that your location doesn't dictate your access to flight training. I'd like to thank the Connellan Airways Trust for their support with this opportunity."

Connellan Airways Trust Chair Liz Bird said Todd's application stood out for how clearly it connected personal ambition to a real need in the region.

"Todd embodies what the Roger Connellan Award is for. He is a young pilot shaped by the Outback who wants to build his career there and make flying safer for the people who rely on it. Strengthening flight training in Central Australia would make a lasting difference, and we're proud to help him take the next step."

The 2026 round marks the return of the Roger Connellan Award after a hiatus in 2025. The award honours the legacy of Roger Connellan and supports pilots, controllers and aviation professionals living and working in remote Australia to access the further qualifications and professional development that distance and isolation can put out of reach. Applications for the 2027 round will open on 1 July 2027.