Flight to Paris…Then and Now.
Flight to Paris…Then and Now. As I write this, I am at 38,000 feet in the “crew rest” of a Boeing 787, weaving my way to Paris from Singapore. 24 years ago, my first flight in Qantas was to Paris and yet while the planet …
Time and Space.
Time and Space. It’s a beautiful Parisienne morning, perhaps a little hot for the locals. Kirrily and I are sitting on a bench in the shade of an allèe of trees and there is music playing in the background. The lyrics repeat the word, “freedom” …
Across Generations.
Across Generations. I remember that my school song started with, “Across the years from when John Wesley rode…” This past weekend I had cause to reflect across the years for a very different reason and any attempt to sing about it would have been drowned …
Considering Your Options.
(Image: ATSB) Considering Your Options. They say that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line – or at least a great circle as we navigate the globe. However, while geometrically efficient, the straight line may not always be the best strategy in …
Silent Witnesses.
Beaufort A9-557. (Image: AWM) Silent Witnesses. In their prime these two aircraft filled the air with the sound of their engines. Now, they are silent witnesses to past battles and the stories of those men that flew them. As I delve deeper into the research …
San Francisco. A Second Home?
San Francisco. A Second Home? Only a sliver of moon was reflecting the sun’s rays and soon that glow would also slip away into the night. There was just enough light to see the cloud tops a few thousand feet below as we peered out …
ANZAC Day. Surrounded by Service.
ANZAC Day. Surrounded by Service. Another ANZAC Day has passed. The alarm stirred me at 2:45am as our son was in the Catafalque Party, standing guard for the Dawn Service. Then there was a march through city streets and another cenotaph and another service. As …
Forays into Film.
Forays into Film. As they say, blink and you’ll miss it. That is the best way to describe my film credit in the National Geographic IMAX production, “Living in the Age of Airplanes”. The movie was a massive undertaking by Brian Terwilliger of “One Six …
More Than a Flight. The Air Mail Centenary.
More Than a Flight. The Air Mail Centenary In 2014 I was honoured to lead a flight to commemorate the centenary of air mail in Australia. Here are some words I wrote about a flight that will long live in my memory and served to …
A Veteran’s Story.
A Veteran’s Story. (Image: Defence) In working with the RAAF History and Heritage branch, I was asked to compile this story for Defence from recollections captured by Monte Wilson. I have reproduced the article here but the link to the Defence website with additional images …
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