Solo Flight
Solo Flight. i have spent the last two weeks training young pilots towards their first solo flight. The young girls and guys of the Australian Air Force Cadets never cease to impress me – both in the cockpit and on the ground. For all those …
Air Show Day is Family Day.
Air Show Day is Family Day. Last weekend RAAF Richmond air base celebrated its centenary with a sizeable air show. The base is home to the unit with which I serve as a Reservist, but the significance to our family lies much deeper. Kirrily’s father …
In Aviation – Check Your Ego.
In Aviation – Check Your Ego. I was told early in my aviation journey that when you think you know it all, you are dangerous. Flight itself is not inherently dangerous, but it can be brutally unforgiving and cracking the door open to complacency is …
Aviation Terminology. What’s in a Name?
Aviation Terminology. What’s in a Name? Across the decades, aviation has continually sought to reduce the element of risk. When technology was the culprit, improvements were implemented and when the human element was seen as the weakness, new processes were created. ‘Human Factors’ became …
Flight Safety…and other Childhood Memories.
Post Sortie. Wal Bowles (Far Left) and Phil Zupp (Far Right) Flight Safety…and other Childhood Memories. The conversations around my home as a boy greatly influenced my outlook on aviation, although I wasn’t aware of that fact at the time. My Godfather, Wal Bowles, …
Qantas Boeing 747 Farewell – 5 Years On.
The Qantas Boeing 747 Farewell – 5 Years On. It’s cliche…everybody says it…but where does the time go? Yet, on July 22nd it will be 5 years since we departed Sydney to fly the final Qantas Boeing 747 to its resting place in the Mojave …
When Everything Old is New Again.
Qantas A321XLR Arrival. (Image: SYDSQUAD) When Everything Old is New Again. As the new Qantas Airbus A321XLR taxied in at Sydney Airport in the thrashing rain, my eye was caught by one of the less obvious details – its registration – VH-OGA. The markings, “VH-OGA” …
75 Years On. The Forgotten War – The Korean War.
75 Years On. The Forgotten War – The Korean War. As dawn broke on 75 years ago on 25 June 1950, the Korean People’s Army surged south across the 38th Parallel in unison with artillery fire. The Korean War had begun. Most Australians would’ve have …
RAAF Reserve. The Privilege of Service.
RAAF Reserve. The Privilege of Service. The pandemic of 2020 brought with it many challenges. However, personally, it brought one of the most positive experiences of my life. Having met with the major drivers behind the project at the Avalon Air Show in 2019, I …
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