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opinionated ow
01-13-09, 11:06 AM
I know there is quite a strong aviation interest on this forum, but I doubt this made news for most of you.

Australian aviatrix, aeromedical pioneer and the first Australian female to hold a Commercial Pilots License, Nancy-Bird Walton died today aged 93. Nancy's last public apppearance was late in 2008 when she was present for Qantas' dedication of the first A380 to her, the aircraft now being enscribed with her name. She took a flight aboard, and in her speech made a joke of "staying around for this one."

I sent this off to the letters page of a Sydney Newspaper...

Today is a truly tragic day in Australian aviation. Nancy-Bird Walton was a hero. To a nation, a national treasure, to an aspiring pilot, a hero and to a female pilot, the ultimate role model. She deserved every part of her OBE. I remember meeting her at an early fundraising event for the Bankstown Aviation Museum, as an eager 8 year old she was a delightful and lovely woman, who gladly autographed something for me and spoke to me about aeroplanes. She was delightful! Her impact will be felt forever, as an innovator (with her development of aeromedical services), as the leader and patron of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (which she founded), as a delightful, caring, intelligent, legitimate and beautiful woman, and most importantly as a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and daughter.

Long live the Queen of the Skies. May you enjoy the great blue skies of Heaven. God Bless.

Vale Nancy-Bird Walton. 16/10/1915-13/1/2009.

More information about Nancy-Bird Walton
http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/nancy_bird_walton_bio.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Bird_Walton
http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/subjects/birdwalton/

Cam
01-14-09, 08:08 AM
Nice Tom. :thumbup:

oddlycalm
01-14-09, 07:56 PM
Sad to see the pioneers of flight pass on. Can you imagine what it was like to fly in Australia when she was 19? Can you imagine what people thought when she landed and they saw who she was?

oc

emjaya
01-14-09, 10:37 PM
Sad to see the pioneers of flight pass on. Can you imagine what it was like to fly in Australia when she was 19? Can you imagine what people thought when she landed and they saw who she was?

oc

Determined young woman. :thumbup:

Jean Burns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Burns) seems to be another.

opinionated ow
01-15-09, 01:50 AM
Sad to see the pioneers of flight pass on. Can you imagine what it was like to fly in Australia when she was 19? Can you imagine what people thought when she landed and they saw who she was?

oc

Well, the ultimate quote became the name of her autobiography, "My God, It's a Woman!"

G.
01-15-09, 02:11 AM
cool post. :thumbup:

Thanks.

opinionated ow
01-15-09, 04:12 AM
Parents just rang me excited to see that they published it in full. Complete with headline. That doesn't happen often!

TravelGal
01-15-09, 04:24 PM
Very, very nice. Good of you to take the time to compose such a glowing tribute and kudos to the paper for printing it IN FULL!