John Wilkinson interviewed by Rob Linn in the E.A. Crome aviation oral history project [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 3423688
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Wilkinson, John, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Written permission is required for research use, personal copies and public use for 10 years from the date of the interview.
- Description:
-
- 2005
- 2 digital audio tapes (ca. 130 min.)
- Series:
- E.A. Crome aviation oral history project.
- Summary:
-
John Wilkinson speaks about his family background; his father's participation in RAAF in WWII; how his interest in flying developed and his early involvement; his flying scholarship; Jock Bryant; learning to fly and how he paid for lessons; the Illawarra Flying School; gaining a commercial pilot's licence a few days after he turned 19; flying 'paper runs' from Wagga; building up his flying hours; his interest in international 'heavy aeroplanes'; the pre-employment interviews and testing by Qantas; Qantas hiring him on 3 August 1963; he compares himself to the others of his intake; his 'fortunate' career; the types of aircraft flown and his role; the Norfolk Island to Auckland service; the rigour of the job and all the checks that were necessary; flight logs and navigation; the ancillary job training on DC-3s (part of Qantas' training fleet) and Bizjets HS-125.
Wilkinson discusses the flying with trainee pilots and crew; aeroplane cycles, design and longevity; Qantas standards; the move to flying bigger aircraft, becoming a first officer on 707s; the long haul international flights to a variety of destinations; the extreme physical demands of this type of flying; the recording systems and other systems on these new jet aircraft; picking up a 707 command slot at 29 years of age; the length of trips and his freedom to go on long journeys; route structures of 707s and the entrance of 747s; pilots in management positions; his aversion to desk work; the lifestyle attraction and challenge of hard flying; the expansion of Qantas and the cutting of fares; his overview of major changes in aviation and his appreciation of how the 747 revolutionised long haul air travel.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded on May. 04, 2005 at Bayview Heights, N.S.W.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (3 p.) and corrected transcript (typescript, 53 leaves)
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Aircraft pilots
- Other authors/contributors:
- Linn, Rob, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the E.A. Crome aviation oral history project.
This collection contains 12 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2075 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2005
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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