It’s Not About Me.

I’ve been very fortunate over the years. Sure, there have been airline collapses, pandemics and major cardiac surgery but even in the face of these hurdles, I have lived in a country where a path forward was always at hand. I just had to get up and start walking again.

In a society that can seem to focus on a sense of it being “all about me”, I cannot stress the satisfaction that is gained through assisting others. As a paramedic, I was paid to assist others in their darkest moments but no-one in that job survives if money is the motivation. Beyond the Ambulance Service, I have made friendships and lived experiences that I’ll never forget and these were a direct offshoot from the time I have spent as a volunteer.

With the Bradman Foundation I was the President of the playing XI and for a few years organised the school holiday coaching camps and later, “Milo Cricket” for kids on Saturday mornings. There were school teams and representative teams. It was a world away from aviation but I played with and against some wonderful people both at home and abroad. In aviation, I started my career as a volunteer flight instructor with the Scout Association and then the Australian Air Force Cadets, or Air Training Corps as it was at the time. This association remained through the 1990s and beyond and into the new century and onto today, where my primary role as an Air Force Reserve officer is conducting flight training for the cadets.  In the 2010s, as my son’s interest grew, I instructed each week with the Australian Air League on various aviation subjects.

People talk about making a sacrifice to do this. And while it is a commitment of time, I sincerely believe that I have gained more than I have given. To see a student take their first solo flight and then pursue a career in aviation in their own right is immensely satisfying as an instructor. To be able to instill to some degree that intangible of “airmanship”, as my father/instructor had done for me in my youth. To see people who I had trained become fighter pilots or airline captains is more rewarding than any pay packet.

So, it should never be “all about me”, particularly when most of our journey sits in the rear-view mirror. Consider giving back as those before you did and watch what can grow from the seeds you planted. I promise that you’ll never regret it.