What I’m reading right now… Although slowly, I am currently reading about the adventures of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith written by Peter Fitzsimons.
My favourite book growing up (why?)… When not intertwined in a compulsory English text, I was always reading aviation magazines, somehow finding an aviation fix whilst in between Maths and Geography.
My all time favourite book is (why?)… I found the story of Australian pioneering aviator Bert Hinkler something near impossible to put down, although not a household name such as Kingsford Smith of Lindbergh, Hinkler was one of the greatest pioneering aviators of all time and just happened to be a hidden Australian treasure.
The book I would recommend everyone to read (why?)… Is Born to Fly a suitable answer?
The book I wish I wrote… I think it is safe to say the one book I have ever wished to write is now in the form of Born to Fly, to be able to share the journey of a lifetime is amazing.
My guilty reading pleasure is… The many monthly flying magazines that arrive in the mail, I really should branch out a little more…
The book on my bookshelf that I have never read… With the last nearly three years being so busy along with the time spent writing Born to Fly I have had little time to just relax and read, but now I have a little more time and a very large pile of unread books!
The book that never should have been turned into a film… Um.
My book is… A ‘de-brief’, my way to take unexplainable adventures, unreal views, unbelievable moments and the adventure of a lifetime and share the experience with others.
I’ll never forget… finishing writing Born to Fly at 3am, yet not allowing myself to go to bed until I had compiled a word count from each singular chapter! A moment that I thought would never come and a good nights sleep followed by a well earnt sleep in.
My favourite place is… home on the Sapphire Coast. We have the ability to travel the world at a moments notice, which is phenomenal and exciting, yet sometimes travel is what makes you realise what an amazing part of the world you live in!
The most dangerous thing I have ever done is… no doubt the flight around the world takes that award. That said, Teen World Flight, as Dick Smith put it, was responsible risk taking. I still won’t stand on a dodgy ladder to put up the Christmas lights!
The first time I… flew over water was something I will never forget, it was the first leg of the world flight taking me from Wollongong on the east coast of New South Wales to Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean. It was a surreal moment, looking down to see rolling waves in every direction, a view I had never seen from the cockpit before.
I regret… leaving my lunchbox hidden in the back of the aeroplane and well out of reach on the very first leg. It was a long nine hours…
I remember… so, so many different little stories and adventures, easy to forget but thankfully now hidden amongst the chapters of Born to Fly.
The one piece of advice I should have listened to but didn’t… The attitude and approach to Teen World Flight was one where all advice was taken aboard and somehow adopted into the plan of action, this was the cause to a safe and successful flight. There were little things, such as never packing a serious lunch and falling asleep before jotting down a detailed diary but that’s part of the adventure.
I love… adventure!
I hate… very early mornings.
I wish… everyone could have been in that one little plane to see and experience in person what I have been able to experience.
I can’t say no to… food… I probably should try every now and then…
Yesterday, I… took Pa flying up and down the Sapphire Coast!
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