Daryl Chibnall
After 26 years, one of CFA’s trusted eyes in the sky, Daryl Chibnall is hanging up his flying suit following a proud chapter with CFA responding to some of Victoria’s most significant fire emergencies.
Known to many as “Chibby”, he began his flying career in 1986 before moving into emergency services aviation in 2000. Since then, he has amassed more than 4,500 hours undertaking aerial reconnaissance, fire spotting and air attack support roles.
Chibby’s journey with CFA began as a volunteer with the Ballarat Fire Brigade and said the opportunity to combine his passion for flying with helping communities made for a rewarding career.
“Combining being in the sky with work that has a real and positive impact ticked all the boxes for me,” Chibby said.
“The biggest reward has always been knowing that the work we do can make a genuine difference for communities when they need it most.”
Aircraft play a crucial role in firefighting operations, with strong collaboration between air and ground crews essential to achieving the best outcomes for communities.
“We are in the air to provide support to the ground crews, not the other way around,” Chibby said.
“Our work adds value by helping provide a broader picture of the incident and making recommendations back to Incident Control Centres and our ground crews.
“Our support and gratitude rests with the ground crews.”
During his career, Chibby has been at the frontline of many major incidents, including the 2003 Alpine bushfires, 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and the 2020 Grampians and Gippsland bushfires. He has also supported interstate deployments and more recently assisted with the 2026 Streatham and Mount Mercer fires.
Alongside his operational role, Chibby has been passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with others as a coach and mentor.
"If you're passionate about what you do, it's important to share that knowledge with the next person," Chibby said.
"I like to encourage people to question what they do and why they do it. That's how you achieve the best outcomes."
Reflecting on his time with CFA, Chibby said the friendships and the opportunity to learn from others has been one of the most rewarding aspects.
“I will miss the friendship and knowledge that I have gained from so many dedicated people across CFA and the broader emergency sector,” Chibby said.
“Working with like-minded people who share a mutual respect for one another is what makes the job even more rewarding.”
Community Safety Manager of West Region Wayne Rigg said Chibby has been an integral part of Victoria’s aviation capability.
“Chibby is a valued member of our aviation family and will be sorely missed when he hangs up his flight suit at the end of the season,” Wayne said.
“Chibby's professionalism and skills have made a significant contribution to CFA and the communities we serve.”