Giving Back.

At my age, much of the conversation seems to centre around retirement. Personally, I have never considered retirement, it is more a case of changing focus and a large part of that will be continuing to give back to the industry that has given me so much – aviation.

I was fortunate in my upbringing to be surrounded by mentors who emphasised that there is virtually an obligation to pass one’s experience onto the next generation. I have always endeavoured to do this, be it as a sports coach, a volunteer instructor for the Australian Air League (AAL) or in my ongoing involvement with the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC).

In the case of the latter, it seems that things have come full circle. The AAFC was formerly known as the Air Training Corps and under that name I was the fortunate recipient of a flying scholarship at the age of 16. In camp for a week, a number of volunteer pilots guided me to my first solo flight and a day that is indelibly inked into my memory.

On a broader scale, my father was a 24/7 source of guidance and experience and he also volunteered as a flight instructor in retirement. In fact, as I reflect on my own aviation journey of 45 years, there was always someone there to guide me. Aviation is an undertaking where experience is a great asset in fending off misfortune. The ability to heed the advice of those that have gone before – and made mistakes – is invaluable to the fledgling aviator and the “old hand” alike.

Increasingly, it is my calling to pass on what I have learned and it is a tremendous source of satisfaction. One will never know it all in this industry but the opportunity to share some insight and perspective with those coming through will hopefully enhance their journey and add to the safe conduct of flight for them.

We all seem to lead busy lives these days and finding the time to volunteer in any field is a definite challenge. However, just as blacksmiths and builders of bygone eras have passed their skill sets down through the ages, we who take to the skies should do the same for those seeking to earn their wings.