3 days ago
Jetstar pilot's unexpected second job
Sean Wallace has been a Jetstar pilot since the airline launched 22 years ago – so if there's anyone in a position to help people overcome their fear of flying, it's him.
The 53-year-old from Sydney has spent the last 15 years doing something not many would expect.
When he's not in the air, he's helping nervous flyers conquer their fears including his long-time friend Sue Partland who took her first flight to Vietnam last week with Sean surprising her as captain.
'I was just so proud to see her travelling and enjoying the world with her family,' Mr Wallace told
'It took a long time to get her to this point. She started to fly 12 years ago but it's been very spasmodic. She flew to Bali just after Covid but still needed a lot of help with that flight.'
However, for her most recent flight from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh, Sue was able to rely on the techniques she learned through Mr Wallace, who helps run the 'Flight Without Fear' course at the Royal Newcastle Aero Club.
'She had a good run. She told me she didn't get extra coaching before the flight and did it solo using the techniques we've been working on over the years such as breathing and visualisation.'
He said the 'water-bottle' visualisation technique is one many nervous flyers often use that helps.
'You buy a bottle of water at the airport, take a few sips out of it and if anything makes you stressed or anxious during your time at the airport or on the plane – you just focus all of the bad energies or bad experiences into the water,' he explained.
'The water holds all the bad stuff and once you get to your destination you pour all the water out and say 'that's done'.
'Pouring it out is symbolic of the end of flight and getting rid of the bad energies.'
Mr Wallace surprised Sue at her hotel in Ho Chin Min city after coordinating with the chief operating officer to captain her flight from Vietnam back home to Sydney.
Video of their encounter shows just how thrilled Sue was to see him.
Mr Wallace said he's helped over a 150 nervous flyers get in the air, something he takes great pride in.
'I used to have a part-time office job as a pilot manager in Newcastle and every other week there would be an approach from Newcastle Airport about someone who has issues with flying and just wants to talk to a pilot,' Mr Wallace told
'The Royal Newcastle Aero Club then approached me about being part of the 'Flight Without Fear' course.'
The eight-week course is specifically designed to help nervous flyers conquer their fears.
It combines psychological strategies with aviation education and practical experience such as dummy boarding.
Expert pilots like Mr Wallace are involved along with cabin crew, aircraft engineers and psychologists.
'Over the course participants would get a presentation on all aspects of the operation. They have one-on-one time with a mentor, and also got time with a psychologist. We all donated our time and at the end of the eight weeks, they'd catch a flight out of Newcastle to Brisbane and catch a flight back and graduate.'
He said the first day is an introduction to meet a pilot then they move on to learn how planes fly, the basics of flight theory, aircraft types including their reliability and safety of flights.
Participants also learn the role of cabin crew such as in-flight safety, before learning certain techniques with the help of psychologists.
Mr Wallace said a lot of the time it comes down to gaining an understanding of aviation and the systems.
'Once they have an understanding, although the anxiety is still there, we've empowered them with the mechanisms that allow them to fly and then hopefully experience the world – and that's the main thing.'
