Similar to the Academy Awards for the film industry, the ABIA Awards recognises publishers and authors, by polling booksellers nation wide for their favorite books.  Over 300 guests attended the gala evening that was  opened by Australia’s Attorney-General - The Honourable Mark Dreyfus QC.

QF32 was also one of the six finalists for the ABIA’s “Book of the Year – 2013″.   This award was won by M.L. Stedman for “The Light Between Oceans”  (Random House Australia).

Richard de Crespigny congratulated all authors whose works were presented for awards:

I congratulate all the other authors who were shortlisted for this award. You were not handed a script that included 3 iconic companies, a $400m aircraft and 440 passengers, but you have all produced truly wonderful works.

Richard and Robin de Crespigny (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

QF32 was never a story about me, but a story about teamwork – a case study where the pilots, cabin crew and hundreds of ground crews pooled their knowledge, training, experience working in teams to help us survive the event that we had never trained for nor expected.  In getting the story of QF32 to the readers, the team included my beautiful wife Coral, my son Alexander, daughter Sophia, my collaborator Mark Abernethy, Pan Macmillan’s Tom Gilliatt & Emma Rafferty & Jace Armstrong, and finally all the booksellers who enable and add value to this great industry.   

In particular, I congratulate another “R DE CRESPIGNY”, my cousin, Robin de Crespigny, whose wonderful book “THE PEOPLE SMUGGLER” has received world acclaim and was also one of the other five finalists for  the “Non- Fiction Book of the Year – 2013″.   I am so proud:  two R DE CRESPIGNYs, both first-time writers, both up for the same award.   YOU should be winning this award Robin – NOT ME!

Interviews with QF32 Author – Richard de Crespigny

Radio - 702 Weekend Breakfast (with Simon Marnie) on Saturday morning at 0710 (Sydney Time)

Television - ABC News 24 (interview with Andrew Geoghegan and Miriam Corowa)  on Saturday morning at 10:20 am (Sydney time)

Radio - 2UE Weekend Breakfast (with John Stanley) on Sunday morning at 0810 Sydney time)

Richard and Robin de Crespigny (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Coral de Crespigny (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

by Annabelle Brayley

(Courtesy Annabelle Brayley)

When I was growing up, I’d had occasions to fly in the old DC8 and Fokker Friendship as well as several smaller planes so it was a complete shock to me, to discover in 1987 that I hated flying in ‘big’ planes.

In September of that year, for the first time, I boarded a big Qantas plane (either a 747 or DC10) in Brisbane, with my 11 month old baby and my parents, to fly to Chicago (via Cairns) for a family wedding.

Halfway to Cairns, I decided I had to get off, pdq!

I felt out of balance and overwhelmed by the crowd on the plane; I felt seriously claustrophobic, also a surprise to me. I didn’t quite have a panic attack, mainly because I didn’t know what that was back then, but I knew I had to get off that plane!

I have to note that all of the Qantas staff were fantastic.  They looked after us beautifully, guiding us back through customs and sorting out accommodation for me. Next day we flew back to Brisbane on a domestic flight which was okay because there were few people on the flight.

Over the years my claustrophobia increased and I refused to get on another plane until 2001 when I decided it was ridiculous not to be able to fly.  So I flew (white knuckles and gritted teeth) to Sydney, then spent four days worrying about having to fly back.  Having alerted the Qantas staff to my problem, I got on the return flight but at soon as the door shut, I thought I couldn’t breathe. I spat the dummy and once again, begged to get off…

I’m a storyteller and in 2008 I was offered the opportunity to write a travel story about the new “Ghan” train (from Darwin to Alice Springs to Adelaide – initially built by Afghan workers).  I turned it down because I couldn’t fly to Darwin and couldn’t make the departure in time by road.   Instead, I stayed home feeling particularly pathetic and researched ways to deal with my phobia.

(Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

FearlessFlyers is a non-profit, volunteer organisation run by women pilots since 1979 in association with Qantas Airways Ltd and Airservices Australia.  Nancy-Bird Walton, Aminta Hennessy, Nancy Wells, Glenda Philpottand Jean Mc. Phee were the initial group to get the courses going in Australia.

These days, the course runs for four days over two weekends and there are seven courses running each year, encompassing two in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne and one in Perth.

I did my course in Brisbane in 2010.  At the end of the first day, I said, “But I’m not afraid of flying, I’m claustrophobic.” They patiently guided me through the rest of the course explaining,“it will help; just see it through.”

Every traveller’s delight. (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

On the last day, we were sitting on the tarmac in QF517, waiting to take off to Sydney when I noticed the plane was actually moving.

The doors were obviously closed and I was breathing normally. The plane was full, wall to wall people, and yet I was completely calm.

It was a life changing moment. The flight was fabulous and I loved every minute of it there and back.

Since then, I’ve been happily flying around the country collecting stories and missing nothing! To date I have only flown Qantas because they looked after me so well in the first instance (especially significant to me since I held up their flight schedule twice while they found my luggage and unloaded it), their pilots are the best trained in the world, they have the highest safety standards and they support the Fearless Flyers course.

Thunderstorm bashing up against the tropopause as we crossed the ITCZ over the Pacific Ocean on 24 December 2012.

Not only am I flying but now I drive myself through tunnels, something I never imagined doing, and sail up and down in lifts easily. Small rooms are a breeze and I can stand in the middle of a crowd instead of constantly circling to the outside.

Completing the Fearless Flyers course is, without doubt, the best investment I have ever made.   The volunteers who run the course are exceptionally talented, empathetic, practical and supportive.

I recommend this course to every person who fears flight as I did and who  unfortunately suffers the consequences of missing family engagements, holiday travel and business opportunities.

Annabelle Brayley
Storyteller
Racecourse Road
Morven Q 4468
P: 0746548055
E: bellarose55@bigpond.com

See also:

• Fearless Flying – Part 1 of 2
• Doc Holiday quizzes Captain de Crespigny about Nervous Flyers

• An Easy Trick To Get Over Fear Of Turbulence, From Captain Sully Sullenberger  (the third clip in the video sequence)

A380 at Sydney International Terminal (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

The Australian “Never Never” (Courtesy Annabelle Brayley)

(iStockphoto)

About 25% of the travelling public have a fear of flying.   One quarter of this group are so afraid of flying that they completely avoid air travel, and their condition qualifies as a phobia.  (National Institute of Mental Health)

Our perception of our safety in the air does not match reality (click here for more statistics).  On average:

• You need to fly every day for 123,000 years before you can expect to to be in a fatal crash.
• You have a 1 percent chance of dying in a car accident, but only a 0.01 percent chance of dying in aircraft accident.

Why do so many travellers have a Fear of Flying when the statistics show flying to be safe?

The answer involves our mind’s calibration of Dread.

Our  ”Fear of Flying” is an instinctive response to “Dread”.  Dread prevents our rational (slow) mind governing our primitive (fast) mind.

Dread enables the fast, intuitive and reactionary processes that protect us from the sum of our fears, hopes, lessons, prejudices and distortions.   Dread:

•  works in our fast and reactionary mind  to startle us into solution that might involve fight, flight or play dead
• inhibits our slow mind from rationally assessing and responding to risk.

Dread is an  inherited and developed trait.  Evolving over many generations, Dread assisted the fittest beings to instantly prioritise, decide, plan and survive  unexpected events.   Those who did not react fast enough dropped down a rung on the food chain.  This explains why we fear terrorists, sharks and snakes more than cars even though we know that cars are the biggest killers.

(Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

A mind that retains a Dread for flight, will engender an immediate panic response to flight.   This response is delivered well before the slow mind can intervene to counter and comfort us with rationality (flight safety statistics) or respond to the presence of a friendly face or a calm voice.

So Dread, properly tuned can and does save lives.  But in our new high technical world where the charging lion is replaced by a quiet electric car, Dread for the lion is not just illogical, it’s also out of sync with reality and so it’s now also potentially dangerous.

To allay a  Fear of Flying, it is never good enough to just talk calmly about numbers and statistics, for these thoughts reside in the slow mind.

To allay Fear of Flight, we have to re-jig our basic fears, hopes, lessons, prejudices and distortions – and thus re-program our (fast) mind’s equation for Dread.

Tomorrows article provides a happy solution to Fear of Flight.

See also:

• Fearless Flying – Part 2 of 2
• Doc Holiday quizzes Captain de Crespigny about Nervous Flyers

We are in safe hands! A sample of Australia’s best women pilots at Hervey Bay airport. (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Coral and I had the pleasure to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) in Hervey Bay last week end.

In this fast and competitive world, it’s getting harder to find the time for aviators to meet, network, help and mentor the youger entrants in this field.   So it was for all these reasons that Coral and I attended the Annual  Conference to give our support to this prestigious group that had Nancy-Bird Walton as a past patron and president.

Jennifer Graham, the National President (AWPA) writes:

Nancy-Bird Walton (courtesy Shannae Terrill)

On behalf of the AWPA National Committee and Members I would like to thank you most sincerely for so generously giving us your time to speak at our Presentation Dinner on Saturday evening.

This particular conference was full of highlights, culminating in your presentation at the dinner which completed a highly successful and enjoyable conference. The combination of Matt Hall opening the Education Session on Thursday through to you addressing us on Saturday evening as to that particular event on the ‘Nancy-Bird Walton’ had many spellbound and I am sure that future conference organisers are now wondering how on earth they will be able to put together a comparable conference.

Richard with Jennifer Graham (AWPA National President)

We also had a diverse range of other speakers, all encouraging but equally challenging the attendees to not only set goals but to question, check and question again.

The Air Navigation Trial on the Friday saw 12 crews enter which was also a good number and the winners of the main section, unknown to them, made my evening complete as they flew a C182 that my late father bought brand new in 1969 and was his pride and joy for many years.

 I have received many emails since the conference, as have the organisers, from so many members, including first time attendees and all have been so complimentary. The content of the conference covered so much from beginning to end, with so many valuable lessons for those in the early stages of their flying, for those who have already achieved their goals or are well on the way to achieving their goals, and for those who are not necessarily flying any longer but remain interested. We had a record number (over 30) attending their first AWPA conference and their interest and enthusiasm was infectious with our regulars putting in a considerable effort to make all welcome.

Jennifer Graham (national.president@awpa.org.au)

Shannae Terrill

Shannae Terrill and Richard (courtesy Shannae Terrill)

My name is Shannae Terrill and I am a trainee pilot with the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia out of Jandakot in Perth WA. I am also a member of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA).

On the 11th of May 2013, I had the privilege of attending the AWPA annual awards dinner where Richard de Crespigny was the guest speaker. Richard provided a fascinating first hand account of QF32, to the group of AWPA members, partners, and guests.

I have great aspirations to one day fly with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, but none of this would be possible for me, without the support from the AWPA. Support from the AWPA is tremendous, the women we meet from all over the country, from all different fields and experiences in aviation, become valuable mentors and friends.

Nancy-Bird at her 90th Birthday Party with her namesake A380 (Courtesy Heather Parker)

In 1950, Nancy-Bird Walton organised a meeting of women pilots from all around Australia at Bankstown Airport NSW, with thirty-five female pilots in attendance. This marked the beginning of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association and these women, from all ages and experience in flying, became the foundation of a nationwide network which aims to assist women to achieve their goals in aviation. Nancy-Bird became the first President of the Association and Maie Casey, present at the first meeting, accepted the position of Patron. The Lady Casey retained this position until her death in 1983 and Nancy-Bird then became the Association’s Patron until her death in January, 2009. The Association is a Company Limited by Guarantee.

Nancy-Bird began her flying career in the 1930’s, and became the youngest woman in the British Commonwealth to gain a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (B Licence) at the age of 19. She is an inspiration to all women pilot’s and a true icon in aviation, and in 2008, when Qantas was delivered its first Airbus A380 (VH-OQA) it was named in her honour (“Nancy-Bird Walton”).

Association members meet annually for a four day conference and Annual General Meeting, held in a different state each year. The conference includes networking, information sessions, a flying competition (which is great fun), and the presentation of awards and scholarships. Throughout the year, states and regional groups organise meetings, fly-ins and social events for members. These are great opportunities to meet new members and share experiences. We are very fortunate to be able to do some of the events we do, such as, this year we visited both the Perth and Jandakot control towers and were able to experience first hand what the people on the other side of our radios do.

This year the QLD committee put on a fabulous conference in Hervey Bay. It came with beautiful surroundings and a lot of fun was had by all, from all ages. The flying competition was a navigation time trial which we flew over the picturesque Fraser Island. We had some amazing guest presenters including Matt Hall, from Matt Hall racing, some inspiring women pilots who were so kind enough to share their stories. But the highlight for me was Richard’s presentation at the awards dinner. This possibly even topped my receiving of a scholarship.

After reading QF32, I was so excited to be getting the opportunity to meet him, and to listen to him give his presentation. I have gained so much inspiration from QF32. Prior to reading QF32 I wanted to become a pilot, but now I want to become so much more. I want to know everything there is to know about aviation, the plane I am flying, and every checklist that comes with that aircraft.

Captain Richard De Crespigny, I would dearly like to thank you and your lovely wife Coral for taking the time to present to us, you and your co-pilots, inspiring story of QF32.

Shannae Terrill  (shannae_terrill@hotmail.com)

Rob Walker (Manager Corporate Communications at Airservices) and wife Tanya with Richard. A massive thanks to Rob and Tanya – fabulous ambassadors for Air Services (who provided many scholarships to assist women entering their aviation careers).   (Courtesy Neva Cavenagh)

Elva Rush

Elva Rush (a Benalla girl and best friends of Mariea (WSM) and Nancy-Bird Walton) organised Richard’s attendance at the AWPA’s Annual Dinner.    Eva is an inspiration to all pilots.  She is the first Australian female pilot to fly in a formation and regularly flew in formation demonstration teams around Australia.

Heather Parker, Elva Rush and Richard de Crespigny) (Courtesy Heather Parker)

Coral, Elva Rush and Richard (Courtesy Neva Cavenagh)

Sydney Sunrise (Northbridge) – 16 May 2013 (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Closing Story

After the conference, Australia’s 150 best female pilots arrived at Hervey Bay airport to either catch flights or to fly themselves home.   The airport terminal was transformed into a hubbub of activity and excitement.  We all took photos of each other and mine is at the top of this page.

About fifty women boarded my flight to Sydney.

It was a marvelous experience to be in the cabin with so many young, passionate and inquisitive women who talked, laughed and generally made their presence known to everyone else on the plane.   Heck even the Captain discovered the potential for a mutiny and welcomed the “Passionate Girls from the AWPA on board, unaware that EVERY ONE OF THEM was hoping that the captain “had eaten fish for lunch” so that they could get their hands on the controls!

GO GIRLS!

Here is the great story about Canberra Grammar’s Code Cadets

Here are some of the messages I have received since the book has been published:

Zachary Johnson  (12 years old)

Dear Richard your book is really inspiring i hope to be a pilot one day i am 12.

Rohit Kosh  (12 years old)

I am a 12 year old, who wants to be a pilot.

After reading this book, i felt that the way that you had handled the situation onboard QF32 was highly professional and i also liked the way you described your flying. it was the best book i have ever read!

Thanks for writing this book, and i will be buying ‘Big Jets’ soon.

Lian Han  (12 years old)

..  i am 12 years old and want to be a pilot when i grow up ..

hello,

i have just read you book and it is amazing. i am 12 years old and want to be a pilot what i grow up. please tell me if you fly from perth to sydney please!!!!!

Thanks Liam

Liam Waddill (14 years old)

An awesome book even for a 14 year old!    It has so many great lessons for every grade of pilot! I thoroughly enjoyed it,  thank you Richard!

Thomas Sozou  (16 years old)

“.. this book has inspired me more to pursue this dream than anything else has ..”

Dear Richard,  From the moment I saw your interview on The Project and when they advertised your book, I don’t think I have ever been so intent on getting a book before.  5 minutes ago I finished reading your book. I went straight onto this website so that I can just say thank you so much for writing this book!

As a 16 year old wanting to be a pilot this book has inspired me more to pursue this dream than anything else has and I have you to thank. So once again, thanks for the awesome read!

Sam Clancy  (16 years old)

“..  I felt like I was in a jump-seat, sitting behind you as shit hit the fan.”

Richard, I know you are a busy man, but I hope you can take the time out of your day to read what I have to say.

Two years ago, I made a decision I wanted to be a pilot. Now as I’m only 16 now, you’d probably just say “pfft, who cares, teenagers change their minds all the time…” Well, I can honestly say after receiving the book as an early Christmas present from my grandparents on Sunday, my decision has been completely and utterly reaffirmed. I’ve read it during absolutely all of my spare time, in and around working 36 hours in the past four days at Redcliffe Aerodrome (YRED) (I have scored a paid position at an aircraft maintenance company for the school holidays)

Your words are inspiring. Not just in terms of your aviation knowledge but also of your ability to be so easy to relate too. The whole time I was reading, I felt like I was in a jump-seat  sitting behind you as shit hit the fan. If I ever get the opportunity to meet you, I honestly would probably just break into tears, you shouldn’t be seen as an inspiration just to people related to the incident, or people in or interested in the aviation industry, but to the wider community. The way you kept a cool head in such an intensely stressful situation is beyond comprehension to me. I just hope that if in the future, I face a situation similar to the one that was bestowed on QF32, I act and react just as you did.

I’ve never been a big fan of Qantas (but that’s sort of come from my family…) yet I hope my views change when I fly with them mid-next year, whether or not you are at the controls.

I wish you clear skies and smooth landings, Captain.  Cheers, Sam.

Tim Hitchins   (16 years old)

“.. your book was inspiring and made me want to follow that dream even more. I’ve decided to put more effort into my school work to get me the extra mile, and I wanted you to know that your story is the reason.”

Hi Richard, I’ve just finished year 10, I’m sixteen and I began my flight training earlier this year after it being a dream since before I can remember.   I also joined the Australian Air Force Cadets when I was twelve, and that really gave a boost to my hopes for becoming an aviator.  I fly an Aeroprakt A22LS Foxbat with the Hastings District Flying Club in Port Macquarie after winning a scholarship for partial funding of my training.

I was on a school excursion a couple of months ago to Canberra and picked up a copy of QF32 in Parliament House and bought it on the spot. I couldn’t put it down for three days after until I finished, in between all our activities.  I am now almost finished re-reading it for the second time!

It’s always been my dream to fly A380′s for QANTAS ever since the announcement of their production, and your book was inspiring and made me want to follow that dream even more. I’ve decided to put more effort into my school work to get me the extra mile, and I wanted you to know that your story is the reason.

I would love to know when I can get a copy of “Big Jets” to shed more light on my chosen career path and the machines that make our world go ’round.

I look forward to a reply from you and definitely hope once I finally step onto an A380 (hopefully next year because I still haven’t been on one!!), that you will be our Pilot-In-Command.

Joseph Zabaneh (18 years old)

” I am even more motivated ..”

Thank you for writing the greatest book i have ever read. As i always wanted to become an airline pilot and after reading QF32 I am even more motivated.   Hopefully i will see you around the airport and meet you in person.

Rob (19 years old)

“.. Although I have only started reading regularly within the last 6 months, ‘QF32′ was by far the best book that I have ever read ..”

Dear Richard.

As an aviation enthusiast, it was a great receiving your book for Christmas. Although I have only started reading regularly within the last 6 months, ‘QF32′ was by far the best book that I have ever read. It was a great insight into what goes on in the skies, and is a brilliant example of teamwork in an environment under a great deal of pressure.

As I mentioned, I’m a keen aviation enthusiast, and having read your book, I have absolutely no doubts that the A380 is the greatest and safest plane in the sky. I do quite a bit of international travelling, and always try to get on the A380. I know that if I hear your voice over the intercom at the beginning of the flight we’ll be in safe hands.

Many thanks and happy flying, Rob

Marc Loertscher (~20 years old)

“..  your story really captivated me and has further inspired me on my journey to becoming ..”

Dear Captain Champion de Crespigny,  If you can recall, you presented a presentation last year at Griffith University Nathan Campus and I was one of the attending students that night. After your presentation I was absolutely blown away by the momentousness of the situation itself and the high level of professionalism and skill you displayed, although you constantly highly attribute the successful outcome of the flight upon both the flight crew and cabin crew.

As an aspiring pilot to-be your story really captivated me and has further inspired me on my journey to becoming an airline pilot. My personal hunger for knowledge about aircraft, the flight environment, the human body and other associated factors has developed extensively and along with my level of discipline.

 I would also like to commend you on your book, it is a fabulous text and wonderful read to both aviation and non-aviation folk.  Although I am very early along my journey to becoming a pilot, your transcripts from within your book have also helped given me the confidence, determination and a sense of achievability in pursuing a career within one of the most advanced, complex and controlled industries in the world.

I look forward to your next book, which I will definitely be purchasing and applying to my life!

And lastly, I would just like to thank you for the contribution you make to our aviation community and level of professionalism you so astoundingly displayed upon QF32. Your care and concern for the passengers when within the boarding lounges after the flight, from answering all their question to giving your own personal phone number was incredible; truly their are some things that not all flight schools, checks, simulations or lectures can you teach you to being the best pilot one can be.  [edited out] …

P.S.  My friends couldn’t believe your ‘fly the nipple’ technique, they had to read it themselves before they believed me!   It was comforting to know that the [edited out]  disciplined military pilots have a great sense of humour too!

David Montuori (23 years old)

“.. I particularly agree with your belief that once an interest has been found, we must tap into this to find the drive to excel”

 I am a 23 year old pilot who has been following the results of QF32 for some time now. I recently started reading your book and I felt compelled to tell you just how much I have enjoyed reading it. It is not all that often that I complete a book with such hunger and curiosity.

Your dedication and passion for your craft is very admirable. I sometimes get disheartened by the lack of pride and professionalism that I find apparent in too many of my peers in this industry. Reading your book, particularly the first third has really given me comfort knowing there are others like yourself who have a passion for this privilege we have. I particularly agree with your belief that once an interest has been found, we must tap into this to find the drive to excel.

Once again thank you for putting your life and experiences into words as this has given the next generation a bar to aim for in excellence, dedication and professionalism.

Michael N

“.. inspired me to push myself further and pursue my goals ..”

Richard’s book is truly unique, it has inspired me to push myself further and pursue my goals,and it makes me believe i can become a pilot. Thank you, Richard.

Zac Clarke

Hi Richard. What an amazing book! I honestly don’t read books at all unless I have too, but this book was one that I actually desperately wanted to read. Your tale is an amazing one, and your background is spectacular.  I am looking forward to finishing QF32 and have registered for your next book.

Sean Griffin (23 years old)

“Thank you for opening my mind to paths unknown and seeing that a passion can lead to greater things.”

Just reading more of your book and I am amazed at what had to transpire for you to get into the RAAF and to excel and to achieve your dream.

Reading your book has given me a sense of get up and go and to excel in my studies at TAFE.   I know what I can do now, so now it’s time to put my knowledge and skills to work.

It’s one thing to say your going to do something but it’s another to put it into action, that what I’ve learnt from the first half of your book.  Plus to have a passion and drive to do something good ….

Thank you for opening my mind to paths unknown and seeing that a passion can lead to greater things.

Jordan Smith

“..  inspired me to chase my dream  ..”

Thank You for your interesting and enthralling read! As someone who has been proudly flying QF since I was 8 weeks old, I am sincerely indebted to the incredible crews such as yourself who inspired me to chase my dream to be involved in Civil Aviation.

VH-OQJ at London in April 2013. (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

The shortlisted entries were chosen by expert panels and an academy of booksellers and publishers who voted online.

The winners  will be announced at the Australian Book Industry Awards as part of this year’s Sydney Writers’ Festival on the 24th May.

Congratulations to all contenders.

See QF32 – Availability and Ratings

But wait – there’s more!

We are especially proud that Richard’s cousin Robin de Crespigny’s book:  ”The People Smuggler: The True Story of Ali Al Jenabi, the Oskar Schindler of Asia”  is also shortlisted for the following awards:

• General Non-fiction Book of the Year 2013
• Newcomer of the Year 2013

Two R de Crespignys vying for the same “General Non-fiction Book of the Year” – that’s what the family calls hedging your bets!

Two books by related “R de Crespigny” side by side in the book shops at the same time!  

Go Robin!.

Coral pointing to QF32 and to “The People Smuggler” (photo taken in 2012)

Airservices Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting fire vehicles welcome home VH-OQA Nancy-Bird Walton at Sydney Airport. (Courtesy AirServices)

See also:   Physics for the Coffee Table

OQA (Nancy Bird-Walton) taking off at Sydney Airport (2012) (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Situation

A major city (population 5 million) is planning to build a new airport at a new location inside the city.  Two sites are proposed: one beside the ocean and one twenty kilometers  inland from the ocean.

Consider the noise levels originating from aircraft taking off from both airports.  Ignore the noise from airborne aircraft.

Question

Which airport provides the quietest noise footprint for any single resident who lives an equal distance from either airport?  Why?

Quiz Prize

A380 Thrust Levers (Courtesy Richard de Crepsigny)

The winner will be announced at noon London time on Monday 15th April 2013.   The winner may chose their prize from the selection of Category 1 prizes.

Other Information

Qantas Uniform 1940s (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Free postage to the winner world-wide.

Thanks

The QF32 Web Site Crew thanks Pan Macmillan and Airbus for providing these excellent prizes.

We welcome prize offerings from other vendors who wish to participate in this fun competition.

Winner

There were no winners for this week’s question!

Answer

Inland airports have  larger noise footprints than coastal airports.

This phenomena occurs due to the effects of temperature inversions that develop more intensely inland than they develop along the coast.  The warm oceans reduce the incidence of Radiative Temperature  Inversions.

 This is one of the many reasons why coastal airports are quieter than inland airports.

Food for thought.

Incorrect answer .    Although it is true that land and sea breezes affect the sound footprints, these two air flows generally alternate every twelve hours and so the opposing effects cancel each other out over the period of a day.

Explanation  (Temperature Inversions (thermoclines))

Atmospheric air temperature normally decreases with height in the lower atmosphere.

A Temperature Inversion exists when the air temperature increases with height.

Radiative Temperature Inversions (or  thermoclines) form on clear nights when the radiation from the Earth’s warm surface travels out to space rather than being reflected back to the surface by clouds.   When this terrestrial heat energy is lost, the surface cools faster than the insulating blanket of air that lies above that surface.   In the extreme cases of cooling, thin layers (a few metres high) of Radiative Fog form when the surface temperature of that air lowers to its dew point.

The speed of sound is faster in warm air than in cool air.   Similar to the effect of light being refracted (bent) as it passes through a lens, sound is refracted (bent) as it passes though air masses of changing temperatures.

Surface sound is refracted (bent) skywards on a normal day in conditions where the temperature decreases with altitude.    Conversely, on a clear night when a Radiative Temperature Inversions exists, this temperature “lens effect” refracts surface noise back towards the ground (colder air).  So on a clear night, the sound of an aircraft taking off is guided down towards and tunneled along the ground.   This effect may be so pronounced that an observer above the airport might hear nothing!

Oceans reduce the incidence and severity of Radiative Temperature Inversions.   On a clear night, water cools at about half the rate as land.   So Radiative Temperature Inversions will form faster and more intensely over land than over water.  So the noise footprint from coastal airports is less that the noise footprint from inland airports.

There are many other practical examples of thermoclines.   Submariners  survive by relying on thermoclines to  refract and tunnel their submarine’s sound downwards into deeper layers and prevent detection by surface craft.    Views of a mirage (of a lake of water) in the desert is really just visions of light from the blue sky light that has been splayed (refracted) horizontally into your eyes.

On a clear night, when the Earth cools and the thermocline forms, the lens effect funnels sound to you from cars, trains, and aircraft located tens of kilometers away.    Everyone has heard the unmistakable and confusing  sounds from trains that are known to be normally too distant to hear.   During my childhood in Melbourne, I clearly remember  hearing the sound of aircraft taking off from Tullamarine Airport that was located over twenty kilometers away.

<Editor:  Our congratulations to M.L. Stedman,  Toni Jordan, Rich and Margo Lanagan>

Press Release:

Sydney, Australia, Monday, 25 March 2013:  Tonight at Berkelouw Bookstore, Paddington, the independent booksellers of Australia announced The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman as their favourite Australian book from last year and the winner of The Indie Book of the Year Award 2013.

The individual category winners in Fiction, Debut Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children’s & YA were also announced. From these four category winners the independent booksellers selected the best of the best – The Indie Book of the Year for 2013.

Voted on by the independent booksellers of Australia, the Indie Book Awards have a proud tradition of picking the best in Australian writing. All of the previous winners (Breath by Tim Winton, Jasper Jones by Craig Sylvie, The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do, All That I Am by Anna Funder) have gone on to win other major literary awards.

M. L. Stedman was born and raised in Western Australia, and now lives in London. The Light Between Oceans is her first novel, and so far has been translated into nearly thirty languages. It is a bestselling book around the world, including Australia, Italy, Denmark and America, where it reached No. 4 on The New York Times hardback fiction list. Recently it was long-listed in the UK for the prestigious Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously known as the Orange Prize).

The Pan MacMillan A Team: Rich, Jace Armstrong (Campaign Manager, Publicity and Marketing), Jane Phillips (NSW State Manager), Tom Gilliatt (Director, Non-fiction Publishing), Coral

The category award winners were also announced:

BEST FICTION

Nine Days by Toni Jordan (Text)

Judges:  The lucidity of Jordan’s prose and her confident hand ensures that this somewhat complex structure never intrudes on the narrative flow or interferes with the reader’s enjoyment of the threads that weave a family’s history. This fine novel captures an essential element of Australian life, demonstrates her growth as a writer and leaves us waiting with anticipation to see where her muse takes her next.

Tony Jordan:  I would never have had the opportunity to write Nine Days without the support that Independent Bookstores have given me over the course of my career. The encouragement they provide to new Australian authors is irreplaceable. Without Independent Bookstores to nurture and engage readers, our vibrant, distinctively Australian voices and stories might well be lost.

BEST NON-FICTION

QF32 by Richard de Crespigny (Pan Macmillan)

Judges:  Like an aeroplane setting off down a runway, this book slowly gained momentum and then it took off!   A great blend of technical data and concise blow-by-blow detail had me gripped. At times, I felt the anxiety and adrenaline like I was there in the cockpit.  Even though you know how the story ends, this is a fascinating read for anyone who’s ever been on a plane.

Richard De Crespigny:  It’s an honour to have QF32 shortlisted for the Indie Award. Just as much as my passengers trust and enjoy the services and experience that comes with a value added airline, so I value the Independent Booksellers that remain a vital and essential part of our community. Thank-you for your wonderful championing of my story. QF32 would not have been a success without your support!

BEST CHILDREN’S & YA BOOK

Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)

Judges:  Arresting and elusive in almost equal measure, the experience from beginning to end is like a dream that feels as real as it is bizarre, and one you can’t quite trust yourself to interpret fully – it’s there but tantalisingly out of reach until you stop reading and begin to coldly analyse it. Sea Hearts pulls no punches. It’s brave, clever, mysterious and beautifully written. If you think you’re not a fan of Fantasy, Sea Hearts is the book that will change your mind.

Margo Lanagan:  Independent booksellers do what all booksellers should: you know your books and you know your customers, and you match the one to the other with skill and enthusiasm. You ARE word of mouth, the most important factor in any book’s success.

BEST DEBUT FICTION

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Random House)

Judges:  The Light Between Oceans is a beautifully descriptive and powerfully told novel. The setting is memorable as the author has deftly captured the qualities of the light, the ocean, solitude. The writing has a luminous quality to it and the remarkable plot kept me in suspense.  I found it to be a very heartfelt and gut-wrenching story and at times I was reading it with tears streaming down my face. It is the sort of book that stays with you. 

 M L Stedman:  ‘I love bookshops. Nothing can replace the authority, experience and passion of the independent bookseller, and this year I’ve had the privilege of confirming that view not just from my usual reader perspective, but, for the first time, as an author. Whilst every Indie bookshop is different, they share a distinctive DNA around the world: an understanding of individual tastes, an obsession with the life-enhancing power of the written word, and a delight in matchmaking readers and books they’ll fall in love with.’

For more information:

• Full Press Release
• Galina Marinov, Marketing Manager, Leading Edge Books, ”Building Valuable Business Communities”, Ph: 02 9497 4069, Fax: 02 8212 8086, Level 1, 3 Fitzsimons Lane, Gordon NSW 2072, www.indies.com.au

Alex, Coral, Rich, Helen Holman

(Photo courtesy GoldHatPhotography)

The Code Cadets have returned from their California trip with remarkable memories from Apple, Google, Cisco and NetApp headquarters.      Thank you to all these wonderful companies for motivating our youngest generation!

The Code Cadets delivered a session on iOS development for beginners at the MacWorld/iWorld Conference, taking attendees through a step-by-step process for developing and building their own apps that can be sold in the iStore.   This session (that attendees paid $275 to attend) turned out to be the most popular at the conference!

I recommend reviewing the following two links:

• We are glad Nancy Bird looked after you all so well:  Which aircraft did the Code Cadets fly back on from Los Angeles to Sydney?
• Video of their trip to Silicon Valley

“Giving Back”

I was honoured to be asked to present the QF32 story to the boys and parents at Canberra Grammar, Canberra, Australia last week.

I fronted 700 soporific boys immediately after their lunch time break – which is the acid test for any teacher.   It’s hard to compress a lifetime of stories  into 40 minutes.   I gave a longer presentation to the parents later that night.

I think it’s important that we “give back”  to the younger generations – as pay back for the interest and care that our forebears gave us when we were young and we were searching for mentors.

I mentioned Richard Bach during both presentations.  Richard is the author of “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” a famous best selling book of 1972.   In the story, Jonathan Seagull, was a non conformist bird who’s quest was to perfect flight.   His passion put him at the mercy of the entire flock who subsequently bullied, abused and then ostracized him for going outside the square and pushing the known limits.   Jonathan ultimately followed his passions, left the flock, perfected flight then returned to mentor, instruct and be the roll model for the other birds.

Richard Back’s book was an inspiration to me back in 1974 and I referred to Jonathan Seagull as a roll model during my presentation to motivate the boys to identify then follow their passion today.

“If you job is your passion – then you’ll never have to go to work”

Sunset over Western Australia, Sunday 9th December 2012. Courtesy Richard de Crespigny

Of particular interest to me was Matthew Purcell, the school’s new IT teacher.   It appears that Matthew runs his IT classes  much like the “Glee” classes we see on TV.    I met his software “Code Cadets” during the day and over dinner and left at the end of the night feeling that  I had just seen one of the most impressive groups of inspired young men that I had ever met.

Every one of the sixteen boys had made extraordinary gains in the study and practice of computer software – no more than that – mechatronics!   For example, Lochie Ferrier, a year ten student had a passion for motor bikes, electronics and cars.  He has started his own company that has loaded three applications (click here) onto Apple’s iStore.    He quizzed me about scram-jets  which is a topic that few except for  X-43 hyper-sonic aircraft pilots and Chuck Yeager would have any knowledge.   One of the “cadets” asked me about software and future technology engines that will launch satellites into orbit.  Another quizzed me about the fly by wire technologies of the Concorde and Apollo project!

Click here to visit the Code Cadets web site.

I was then told that Matthew was taking his Code Cadets to Silicon Valley in the USA to tour Apple and Google software labs!    My mind immediately flashed back to the QF32 story where I relived how my father organised a visit to the RAAF Academy that motivated me to identify then follow my passion, work hard to excel then join the RAAF as a pilot.  Matthew was about to do to the Code Cadets what my father did for me that changed my life back in 1972.

The thoughts that traversed my mind that day floated from the pleasure to be around well behaved, helpful, passionate, inspired and accomplished boys, to the importance of their having a mentoring and inspirational teacher, and the remarkable journey that they will embark upon that will undoubtedly change their lives.

Matthew has primed the passion and motivation in each and every one of these boys and I left feeling more impressed with his mentoring accomplishments than ever before.  It’s no surprise to discover that in 2010 Matt was awarded the ACT Microsoft Innovative Teacher of the Year Award, for innovations in the way he uses technology within his Software Design and Development classes.

I wish all the Canberra Grammar boys the best of success.  It was a life’s pleasure to meet them all, especially the “Code Cadets”.     I was pleased to “Give Back”  to them the favor that Richard Bach had given me thirty eight years ago.

The world will be in good hands when these young men live out their passions and take over the reins.

Courtesy Canberra Times

See also

Click here to see the Canberra Times article

Motivating our younger generations

The free spirit of Johanna Friis (Courtesy Johanna Friis)

I have always been fascinated with aircraft and I was excited to see what the biggest jet on the planet was like. Once we had taken off for the first leg of the flight from London to Sydney, I realised how quiet and smooth it was despite its four engines and grand size. I happily started watching a movie, enjoying the long flight.

I was really happy I was on board, leaving Sweden with my friend Fredrika to go on a working holiday in Australia, a trip that we had been excited to do and planning for months.

I had a window seat behind the left side wing when we took off from Singapore.

A few minutes into the flight, I was looking out the window when I heard a loud bang, and then saw flames coming out from the inner engine. This was shortly followed by another bang, as well as lots of black smoke from the exploding engine.

At that moment I was terrified, knowing there was fuel in the wings and fire in the engine, I quickly concluded that it wasn’t good at all. I was actually almost certain I would never see my family or my friends again.

During the first minutes I thought about all the people in my life that mean the world to me and I mentally told them I loved them soo much.  One of my dear friends was sitting next to me, my friend Fredrika, and she was trying to calm me down all that time we spent in the air with an engine on fire.

Despite the situation there was no chaos among the passengers. People were talking to each other about what just happened, but there was no obvious fear. I was really scared in the beginning, but when the flight crew started talking to us I began hoping we might make it back to the ground after all.

After what felt like an eternity we finally made an emergency landing.   The crew was very kind to us and definitely helped in calming us all down.   That was when I quit thinking that I was going to die. It was a bumpy ride down the runway but when we had stopped, all of the passengers started clapping and we were shouting words of relief.

After a long time during which we had to stay in the aircraft, we walked out of the aircraft and down the stairs to the waiting bus.  What I remember the most now from this moment is when I turned around and looked back at this massive and beautiful aircraft.  It was in one piece and  I was alive!

Qantas Uniform 1940s (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

We spent a long time in the passenger lounge at Changi airport after the incident.  Fredrika and I were trying to get some sleep when a girl named Maja started talking to us. She had seen the blue hoodie that I was wearing, a sign that I was a Swedish student.   Maja was alone and so the three of us stayed together in the same hotel room  in Singapore that night.    It was funny that she is the same age as Fredrika and me and had grown up in a city very close to our home town in Sweden.   So that is yet another proof of how small this world actually is.

We made it to Sydney one day later after flying in a Boeing 747.    That flight the next day was a surreal and strange experience for us and we were so happy to have finally arrived in Australia.    We had the best time ever in Australia for the six months that followed, made even better by sharing our great experiences with our new found friend Maja.

We are back in Sweden now, three students in three different cities and we don’t know where our lives will take us.   But we will forever share and be tied together by this extraordinary experience.

For me personally, I think the QF32 incident has been been both the worst and the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life. It was the worst because I will never forget the feeling of actually thinking – for a relatively long time – that I was going to die and never see my family or friends again. I cannot describe in words what that felt like.

However the counter side is that the QF32 experience was also the best thing that has ever happened to me – because I now realise and appreciate so many things about myself, my life, family and friends.

I now see life in a different way.   I now enjoy living so much more than I did before.   I will always remember to be grateful for everything that I have in life and I carry these experiences with me every day.

I honestly don’t think I would have had such a great time in Australia if this had not happened.

Thank you for letting me share my story.   Writing about this experience is therapy for me, especially writing to you, someone who understands.

VH-OQF, Qantas’ sixth A380 of an initial order of 20 A380s. (Courtesy Richard de Crespigny)

Best regards

Johanna Friis

[Editor's Note 1]:  Johanna is currently undertaking her first year’s studies of a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.   She is enjoying the course and would love to follow a career in the aviation industry.

[Editor's Note 2]:  We hope to publish Fredrika’s  story shortly.

See also:

Back Story – Passenger - Pamela Wilson

Back Story – Passenger – Claire Ryan