Latest news with #RAAF
The Australian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Australian
‘Good for business': Boeing Defence Australia's recruitment secret
This article is sponsored by the Department of Veteran's Affairs. Boeing has the broadest portfolio in Australian aerospace, from manufacturing of commercial aircraft components to design and development of defence systems, modelling and simulation, and more. Of its 4500 employees in Australia, more than 1000 were formerly in the armed forces. 'We find veterans really excel at leading and making decisions, particularly in time-critical environments,' said Amy List, managing director of Boeing Defence Australia and a veteran of the Royal Australian Air Force. 'Military people have a really strong work ethic and strong discipline, and they show up and always bring their best. Veterans excel at adaptability and problem-solving skills. There's also that mindset of safety and compliance to the regulations, particularly in aviation: not everyone is suited to working in that environment, but our veterans have lived and breathed it for years, and they're perfect for the role.' As a trained aeronautical engineer, Ms List had a distinguished career in the RAAF, but she said her technical training is not her most important asset. 'The most important skillsets I acquired as a RAAF officer were the ones that had little to do with thrust or aerodynamics,' she said. 'It's about making decisions in uncertain environments. The military, across all levels, provides some really outstanding leadership training, and not only training on how to be a leader, they provide a lot of training in how to be a good teammate.' Ms List said veterans are very connected to the work they do and play a key role in supporting customers. 'While we might recruit them to come into a job that's directly relatable [to their past skills], hopefully their career path will open for them and they can go in different ways,' she said. Boeing Defence Australia is one of the Australian Defence Force's most important partners. From the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter, P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters such as the CH-47 Chinook to cutting-edge development programs including the uncrewed MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the company is maintaining and developing weapons systems that need to be both complex and reliable. Ms List said the ability to contribute to a dynamic organisation is what sets ex-service people apart. 'While the specific technical skills, like being able to fix a Super Hornet or understanding the way the software works on a particular aircraft are valuable, I actually find it's those soft skills that really come to the fore when we're determining what it means to be a great employee here at Boeing,' Ms List said. That's why the company is making itself as attractive as possible as a post-service employer. Boeing Defence Australia is now recognised as an Employer of Choice, alongside more than 350 organisations that have joined the Department of Veteran Affairs' Veteran Employment Commitment. 'It formalises what we are agreeing to do to make sure that we're a great place for veterans to work; that we have those support mechanisms in place; that we're able to help them translate their military skills to the civilian environment,' Ms List said. Veterans and Boeing employees Dave Wilson, Jodi Reid and Lisa Sheridan at the Shine of Remembrance in Anzac Square, Brisbane. However, she said many ex-servicepeople often struggle to sell their abilities and experiences to employers. 'I think one of the key elements of serving in the military and being part of something that's bigger than yourself is an inherent humility and an understanding that you rarely achieve anything by yourself,' she said. 'They're always wanting to give the credit to someone else. 'One of the things we work on with veterans as we're helping them translate their skills, is to really make sure they own those key skills, the benefits they bring, and are able to go to job interviews and put their best foot forward.' Boeing also has a global Veterans Engagement Team with an Australian chapter. 'It's a central point for all our veteran activities. It helps give them support if they need it, and helps them network,' Ms List said. 'We have a lot of activities to make sure veterans can connect, and share some of those unique challenges they might face, particularly as they transition to civilian employment. 'One of the things that we look to do with our BVET group is to make sure they can come and work for us and immediately find that community of people who understand what they've gone through, and can help connect them to other people, and resources that might help.' Ultimately, Ms List said it is hard-headed business that drives Boeing to employ so many ex-service people. 'It's absolutely good for our business to have veterans in here.' Hiring a veteran is great for your organisation. Find out how to recruit and retain veteran employees at
The Advertiser
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Daring stunts wow crowds at 'special' country air show
Third-generation aviator Emma McDonald grew up in the skies - watching, and sometimes going along for the ride, as her dad performed tumbles and tricks as an aerobatic pilot. But it wasn't until she was standing alongside her father watching an Old Station Air Show display that she considered turning the high-octane sport into a career. On Saturday, the 35-year-old returned to the iconic central Queensland show for the first time as a solo aerobatic pilot to wow an estimated 15,000 people with her loops, rolls, barrels and tumbles in a two-seat Extra 300L. "I pulled up to 10Gs, which is 10 times your body weight, with a roll rate of 400 degrees a second," Ms McDonald, Australia's only current female aerobatic pilot, told AAP. She trained as a diesel mechanic out of school and didn't get her pilot's licence until many years later after watching former RAAF fighter combat instructor-turned Red Bull Air Race world champion Matt Hall at the same event. "It was the first time I'd seen it as someone doing it for a living and I was like 'oh my god, I want to do what he does'," she said. "I went out and worked really hard, ticked off a heap of things ... and ended up with the job with Matt Hall Racing. "Six years later, working continuously hard, I was able to do my very first aerobatic display at the Old Station Air Show with Matt out on my wing." At the latest edition of the show, held at Raglan in Queensland's Gladstone region, Ms McDonald performed for the first time under her own brand, Beyond Gravity. "I'm here to inspire the next generation and anyone who wants to get into aviation," she said. The popular air show is a family affair, beginning as a gathering for members of the Old Station Flying Club, set up by the Creed family on their Raglan property in 1989. Thousands of people make the pilgrimage from across Australia to the property, where they were treated to a weekend of air shows - including a display of WWII "warbirds" - as well as other displays. Some arrive by car, but hundreds also fly in with special instructions on where to park their planes safely. "It started as a small club event with just a handful of members," said Samantha Creed, whose grandparents began the tradition as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "Over the years, it's just grown and grown and evolved and we've become so big we need help to run it." Local community groups lend volunteers to help run the show and in return receive donations to their causes. At the last event, in 2022, more than $100,000 was raised. "We've helped put kitchens into local CWA halls, we've stocked libraries with books ... built a truck stop, upgraded sporting equipment," Ms Creed said. Ms McDonald has performed her stunts in front of millions in the US and hundreds of thousands on the Gold Coast, but the Old Station Air Show is still a favourite. "(The) Creeds have been absolutely phenomenal, giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and do what I need to do, so this air show is very special to me," she said. Third-generation aviator Emma McDonald grew up in the skies - watching, and sometimes going along for the ride, as her dad performed tumbles and tricks as an aerobatic pilot. But it wasn't until she was standing alongside her father watching an Old Station Air Show display that she considered turning the high-octane sport into a career. On Saturday, the 35-year-old returned to the iconic central Queensland show for the first time as a solo aerobatic pilot to wow an estimated 15,000 people with her loops, rolls, barrels and tumbles in a two-seat Extra 300L. "I pulled up to 10Gs, which is 10 times your body weight, with a roll rate of 400 degrees a second," Ms McDonald, Australia's only current female aerobatic pilot, told AAP. She trained as a diesel mechanic out of school and didn't get her pilot's licence until many years later after watching former RAAF fighter combat instructor-turned Red Bull Air Race world champion Matt Hall at the same event. "It was the first time I'd seen it as someone doing it for a living and I was like 'oh my god, I want to do what he does'," she said. "I went out and worked really hard, ticked off a heap of things ... and ended up with the job with Matt Hall Racing. "Six years later, working continuously hard, I was able to do my very first aerobatic display at the Old Station Air Show with Matt out on my wing." At the latest edition of the show, held at Raglan in Queensland's Gladstone region, Ms McDonald performed for the first time under her own brand, Beyond Gravity. "I'm here to inspire the next generation and anyone who wants to get into aviation," she said. The popular air show is a family affair, beginning as a gathering for members of the Old Station Flying Club, set up by the Creed family on their Raglan property in 1989. Thousands of people make the pilgrimage from across Australia to the property, where they were treated to a weekend of air shows - including a display of WWII "warbirds" - as well as other displays. Some arrive by car, but hundreds also fly in with special instructions on where to park their planes safely. "It started as a small club event with just a handful of members," said Samantha Creed, whose grandparents began the tradition as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "Over the years, it's just grown and grown and evolved and we've become so big we need help to run it." Local community groups lend volunteers to help run the show and in return receive donations to their causes. At the last event, in 2022, more than $100,000 was raised. "We've helped put kitchens into local CWA halls, we've stocked libraries with books ... built a truck stop, upgraded sporting equipment," Ms Creed said. Ms McDonald has performed her stunts in front of millions in the US and hundreds of thousands on the Gold Coast, but the Old Station Air Show is still a favourite. "(The) Creeds have been absolutely phenomenal, giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and do what I need to do, so this air show is very special to me," she said. Third-generation aviator Emma McDonald grew up in the skies - watching, and sometimes going along for the ride, as her dad performed tumbles and tricks as an aerobatic pilot. But it wasn't until she was standing alongside her father watching an Old Station Air Show display that she considered turning the high-octane sport into a career. On Saturday, the 35-year-old returned to the iconic central Queensland show for the first time as a solo aerobatic pilot to wow an estimated 15,000 people with her loops, rolls, barrels and tumbles in a two-seat Extra 300L. "I pulled up to 10Gs, which is 10 times your body weight, with a roll rate of 400 degrees a second," Ms McDonald, Australia's only current female aerobatic pilot, told AAP. She trained as a diesel mechanic out of school and didn't get her pilot's licence until many years later after watching former RAAF fighter combat instructor-turned Red Bull Air Race world champion Matt Hall at the same event. "It was the first time I'd seen it as someone doing it for a living and I was like 'oh my god, I want to do what he does'," she said. "I went out and worked really hard, ticked off a heap of things ... and ended up with the job with Matt Hall Racing. "Six years later, working continuously hard, I was able to do my very first aerobatic display at the Old Station Air Show with Matt out on my wing." At the latest edition of the show, held at Raglan in Queensland's Gladstone region, Ms McDonald performed for the first time under her own brand, Beyond Gravity. "I'm here to inspire the next generation and anyone who wants to get into aviation," she said. The popular air show is a family affair, beginning as a gathering for members of the Old Station Flying Club, set up by the Creed family on their Raglan property in 1989. Thousands of people make the pilgrimage from across Australia to the property, where they were treated to a weekend of air shows - including a display of WWII "warbirds" - as well as other displays. Some arrive by car, but hundreds also fly in with special instructions on where to park their planes safely. "It started as a small club event with just a handful of members," said Samantha Creed, whose grandparents began the tradition as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "Over the years, it's just grown and grown and evolved and we've become so big we need help to run it." Local community groups lend volunteers to help run the show and in return receive donations to their causes. At the last event, in 2022, more than $100,000 was raised. "We've helped put kitchens into local CWA halls, we've stocked libraries with books ... built a truck stop, upgraded sporting equipment," Ms Creed said. Ms McDonald has performed her stunts in front of millions in the US and hundreds of thousands on the Gold Coast, but the Old Station Air Show is still a favourite. "(The) Creeds have been absolutely phenomenal, giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and do what I need to do, so this air show is very special to me," she said. Third-generation aviator Emma McDonald grew up in the skies - watching, and sometimes going along for the ride, as her dad performed tumbles and tricks as an aerobatic pilot. But it wasn't until she was standing alongside her father watching an Old Station Air Show display that she considered turning the high-octane sport into a career. On Saturday, the 35-year-old returned to the iconic central Queensland show for the first time as a solo aerobatic pilot to wow an estimated 15,000 people with her loops, rolls, barrels and tumbles in a two-seat Extra 300L. "I pulled up to 10Gs, which is 10 times your body weight, with a roll rate of 400 degrees a second," Ms McDonald, Australia's only current female aerobatic pilot, told AAP. She trained as a diesel mechanic out of school and didn't get her pilot's licence until many years later after watching former RAAF fighter combat instructor-turned Red Bull Air Race world champion Matt Hall at the same event. "It was the first time I'd seen it as someone doing it for a living and I was like 'oh my god, I want to do what he does'," she said. "I went out and worked really hard, ticked off a heap of things ... and ended up with the job with Matt Hall Racing. "Six years later, working continuously hard, I was able to do my very first aerobatic display at the Old Station Air Show with Matt out on my wing." At the latest edition of the show, held at Raglan in Queensland's Gladstone region, Ms McDonald performed for the first time under her own brand, Beyond Gravity. "I'm here to inspire the next generation and anyone who wants to get into aviation," she said. The popular air show is a family affair, beginning as a gathering for members of the Old Station Flying Club, set up by the Creed family on their Raglan property in 1989. Thousands of people make the pilgrimage from across Australia to the property, where they were treated to a weekend of air shows - including a display of WWII "warbirds" - as well as other displays. Some arrive by car, but hundreds also fly in with special instructions on where to park their planes safely. "It started as a small club event with just a handful of members," said Samantha Creed, whose grandparents began the tradition as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "Over the years, it's just grown and grown and evolved and we've become so big we need help to run it." Local community groups lend volunteers to help run the show and in return receive donations to their causes. At the last event, in 2022, more than $100,000 was raised. "We've helped put kitchens into local CWA halls, we've stocked libraries with books ... built a truck stop, upgraded sporting equipment," Ms Creed said. Ms McDonald has performed her stunts in front of millions in the US and hundreds of thousands on the Gold Coast, but the Old Station Air Show is still a favourite. "(The) Creeds have been absolutely phenomenal, giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and do what I need to do, so this air show is very special to me," she said.
Perth Now
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Daring stunts wow crowds at 'special' country air show
Third-generation aviator Emma McDonald grew up in the skies - watching, and sometimes going along for the ride, as her dad performed tumbles and tricks as an aerobatic pilot. But it wasn't until she was standing alongside her father watching an Old Station Air Show display that she considered turning the high-octane sport into a career. On Saturday, the 35-year-old returned to the iconic central Queensland show for the first time as a solo aerobatic pilot to wow an estimated 15,000 people with her loops, rolls, barrels and tumbles in a two-seat Extra 300L. "I pulled up to 10Gs, which is 10 times your body weight, with a roll rate of 400 degrees a second," Ms McDonald, Australia's only current female aerobatic pilot, told AAP. She trained as a diesel mechanic out of school and didn't get her pilot's licence until many years later after watching former RAAF fighter combat instructor-turned Red Bull Air Race world champion Matt Hall at the same event. "It was the first time I'd seen it as someone doing it for a living and I was like 'oh my god, I want to do what he does'," she said. "I went out and worked really hard, ticked off a heap of things ... and ended up with the job with Matt Hall Racing. "Six years later, working continuously hard, I was able to do my very first aerobatic display at the Old Station Air Show with Matt out on my wing." At the latest edition of the show, held at Raglan in Queensland's Gladstone region, Ms McDonald performed for the first time under her own brand, Beyond Gravity. "I'm here to inspire the next generation and anyone who wants to get into aviation," she said. The popular air show is a family affair, beginning as a gathering for members of the Old Station Flying Club, set up by the Creed family on their Raglan property in 1989. Thousands of people make the pilgrimage from across Australia to the property, where they were treated to a weekend of air shows - including a display of WWII "warbirds" - as well as other displays. Some arrive by car, but hundreds also fly in with special instructions on where to park their planes safely. "It started as a small club event with just a handful of members," said Samantha Creed, whose grandparents began the tradition as a fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. "Over the years, it's just grown and grown and evolved and we've become so big we need help to run it." Local community groups lend volunteers to help run the show and in return receive donations to their causes. At the last event, in 2022, more than $100,000 was raised. "We've helped put kitchens into local CWA halls, we've stocked libraries with books ... built a truck stop, upgraded sporting equipment," Ms Creed said. Ms McDonald has performed her stunts in front of millions in the US and hundreds of thousands on the Gold Coast, but the Old Station Air Show is still a favourite. "(The) Creeds have been absolutely phenomenal, giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and do what I need to do, so this air show is very special to me," she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump gets a flying palace. Keating was doomed to a jalopy in the sky
The 707 was Australia's VIP jetliner, but it had seen better days. The little fleet of 707s came from the late 1950s/early '60s era when rock 'n' roll and V8 hot rods ruled and noise pollution wasn't a problem. By the time Keating was PM, the RAAF had to beg permission to land the 707 at many international airports because its two old engines made such a racket, even after they were fitted with exhaust baffles. In 1992, when Keating made an official visit to Tokyo, the Japanese politely explained its international airport, Narita, wasn't suitable. They directed the RAAF to land at Tokyo's domestic airport, which presumably had vintage spanner sets for elderly airframes if the plane broke down. It was humiliating for a prime minister like Keating, whom cartoonists cruelly drew as the modern embodiment of the extravagantly self-absorbed Sun King, France's Louis XIV. I had by then spent happy years flying around the world in the old 707s as part of the press gallery pack. We called it the Zoo Plane. Wine of fine vintage and high jinks of great silliness flowed freely in the media cabin down the back. Until Keating became PM, Bob Hawke smoked cigars and played poker in his suite at the front. It was a most agreeable way to travel the world. But then, in mid-1993, not long after Keating unexpectedly won the federal election against John Hewson, word floated my way through Canberra's rarefied air that the triumphant PM was on the lookout for a new VIP plane. Two, in fact. Quiet conversations confirmed Keating's desire for more-fitting VIP airborne transport, but that his department was on a collision course with the Defence Department, which was worried about the cost. The two planes being considered were Boeing 757s. They weren't flown by any airline in Australia, but they were big and modern and desirable. And expensive. When my story was published in The Sydney Morning Herald, all hell broke loose. The public went into a mild uproar, Keating's Labor colleagues went weak at the knees, and I, as the messenger, got a number of shouty phone calls from offices not too far from the prime minister's own parliamentary suite. Even Keating suddenly found himself unwilling to test the generosity of voters, many of whom were still recovering from what he had called, only three years previously, 'the recession we had to have'. The story killed the planned purchase of new VIP planes stone dead. Keating was still flying around in the ancient 707s three years later when he lost the prime ministership to John Howard. I was not allowed to forget it. Every time I stepped aboard the 707 for a trip overseas, I was reminded by Keating's staff that if the plane fell out of the sky, I was to blame for writing 'that bloody story'. Loading Press gallery colleagues, unhappy at being scooped, took up the sledging with glee. And Keating continued to yearn for a plane more suited to a prime minister of style. In 1995, on a trip to Germany, no sooner had we landed in Bonn than the poor unloved 707 was rolled into a darkened hangar and Keating proceeded to Berlin in a magnificently appointed Airbus lent to him by chancellor Helmut Kohl. Some among the travelling media declared Keating looked green each time he emerged from the Airbus' VIP suite with its gold appointments in the bathroom, its conference room and its super-modern communications. I felt a bit sympathetic. It wasn't unusual for fittings in the ancient 707s to judder loose. I once copped a thump to the head when an internal ceiling panel fell out. Keating was correct. The VIP fleet desperately needed replacements. John Howard eventually got a Boeing Business Jet that was (conveniently) too small to accommodate travelling journalists. The current fleet consists of two Boeing 737s, ordered by Scott Morrison's government and used these days by Anthony Albanese, the governor-general and others. The point, however, was that a prime minister in Australia's political system could not unilaterally choose the style of VIP plane available to him or her. Australia pays for its own perquisites, which are decided by federal departments like Defence and Prime Minister and Cabinet, which have rules and budgets. It is unimaginable that an Australian prime minister would consider accepting a jumbo jet-sized bribe from a foreign country. Loading All senators and members of the House of Representatives are required to list their pecuniary interests in a register. The allowable limit for gifts from another government is $750, and from individuals it is $300. A $600 million jet would appear mighty peculiar in any list of pecuniary interests. Anywhere, really, outside Trump's morally warped Washington.
The Age
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Trump gets a flying palace. Keating was doomed to a jalopy in the sky
The 707 was Australia's VIP jetliner, but it had seen better days. The little fleet of 707s came from the late 1950s/early '60s era when rock 'n' roll and V8 hot rods ruled and noise pollution wasn't a problem. By the time Keating was PM, the RAAF had to beg permission to land the 707 at many international airports because its two old engines made such a racket, even after they were fitted with exhaust baffles. In 1992, when Keating made an official visit to Tokyo, the Japanese politely explained its international airport, Narita, wasn't suitable. They directed the RAAF to land at Tokyo's domestic airport, which presumably had vintage spanner sets for elderly airframes if the plane broke down. It was humiliating for a prime minister like Keating, whom cartoonists cruelly drew as the modern embodiment of the extravagantly self-absorbed Sun King, France's Louis XIV. I had by then spent happy years flying around the world in the old 707s as part of the press gallery pack. We called it the Zoo Plane. Wine of fine vintage and high jinks of great silliness flowed freely in the media cabin down the back. Until Keating became PM, Bob Hawke smoked cigars and played poker in his suite at the front. It was a most agreeable way to travel the world. But then, in mid-1993, not long after Keating unexpectedly won the federal election against John Hewson, word floated my way through Canberra's rarefied air that the triumphant PM was on the lookout for a new VIP plane. Two, in fact. Quiet conversations confirmed Keating's desire for more-fitting VIP airborne transport, but that his department was on a collision course with the Defence Department, which was worried about the cost. The two planes being considered were Boeing 757s. They weren't flown by any airline in Australia, but they were big and modern and desirable. And expensive. When my story was published in The Sydney Morning Herald, all hell broke loose. The public went into a mild uproar, Keating's Labor colleagues went weak at the knees, and I, as the messenger, got a number of shouty phone calls from offices not too far from the prime minister's own parliamentary suite. Even Keating suddenly found himself unwilling to test the generosity of voters, many of whom were still recovering from what he had called, only three years previously, 'the recession we had to have'. The story killed the planned purchase of new VIP planes stone dead. Keating was still flying around in the ancient 707s three years later when he lost the prime ministership to John Howard. I was not allowed to forget it. Every time I stepped aboard the 707 for a trip overseas, I was reminded by Keating's staff that if the plane fell out of the sky, I was to blame for writing 'that bloody story'. Loading Press gallery colleagues, unhappy at being scooped, took up the sledging with glee. And Keating continued to yearn for a plane more suited to a prime minister of style. In 1995, on a trip to Germany, no sooner had we landed in Bonn than the poor unloved 707 was rolled into a darkened hangar and Keating proceeded to Berlin in a magnificently appointed Airbus lent to him by chancellor Helmut Kohl. Some among the travelling media declared Keating looked green each time he emerged from the Airbus' VIP suite with its gold appointments in the bathroom, its conference room and its super-modern communications. I felt a bit sympathetic. It wasn't unusual for fittings in the ancient 707s to judder loose. I once copped a thump to the head when an internal ceiling panel fell out. Keating was correct. The VIP fleet desperately needed replacements. John Howard eventually got a Boeing Business Jet that was (conveniently) too small to accommodate travelling journalists. The current fleet consists of two Boeing 737s, ordered by Scott Morrison's government and used these days by Anthony Albanese, the governor-general and others. The point, however, was that a prime minister in Australia's political system could not unilaterally choose the style of VIP plane available to him or her. Australia pays for its own perquisites, which are decided by federal departments like Defence and Prime Minister and Cabinet, which have rules and budgets. It is unimaginable that an Australian prime minister would consider accepting a jumbo jet-sized bribe from a foreign country. Loading All senators and members of the House of Representatives are required to list their pecuniary interests in a register. The allowable limit for gifts from another government is $750, and from individuals it is $300. A $600 million jet would appear mighty peculiar in any list of pecuniary interests. Anywhere, really, outside Trump's morally warped Washington.
