I have recently become aware of your words
#1909, below, and claim my right to reply:
"I am assuming that Rosemary Arnold (Australia's first woman helicopter pilot) must have been a friend of yours given that she was flying at around the same time as you!" ...
I have never been a friend of Nigel Osborn, nor do I recall meeting him since I started flying at the start of 1962, which I believe was years prior to his arrival in Australia. I strongly object to his posting my photo and adding an erroneous caption to it. His comments relating to me are inappropriate and full of inaccuracies, as are other comments on Australian rotary-wing history; such as VH DMR's pilot was Noel Dodwell, a friend of mine, in 1964 and was later upgraded to a Bell206; Dan Tyler was not in the country and was not employed in Australia until 1978. Dan has been a close friend since he assisted me in forming the HAA, 1977.
I became Australia's 1st woman helicopter pilot in 1965, WhirlyGirl No.99 and first in the Southern Hemisphere. I attained my two Australian Commercial Licences in 1967 (later added French and USA) - fixed-wing and rotary-wing. I became Chief Pilot of my own helicopter charter company in 1977 with a Bell47J2A VH THH, later operating other helicopters; i.e. Enstrom F28C, Hughes 500 and 300, Hiller 12E. All accident and incident free. In 1969 I flew the first Hughes 500 off the assembly-line, for commercial use in the World from California to Florida, as a guest of Mr Rea Hopper, Senior VP Hughes Tool Company; logged 33hours.
Yes, as a single mother of four I could not find employment in aviation so went into debt buying my own helicopter and working three jobs to pay it off. Not many male helicopter pilots can claim such an effort. It was not "pink" as sneered at but it was floral with floral interior to match my fuel-truck, a Mini Moke with its 11 jerry cans. My maximum was 75 take-offs/landings in an 8-hour flying day and max PAX 276 in one day. I carried thousands of joyriders and always donated 10% gross takings to the fund-raising charities.
I am offended at Nigel Osborn's public discussion on my personal life of which he knows nothing; how I financed my flying?; I was never a hairdresser!; what my husband(s) thought and that my flying "cost me a marriage or two". I have four children and I was married to their father for 17 years; they do not need to be subjected to harmful untruths from a person presuming to know me. I object to criticism of wearing "pink" and to the "very, very ugly floral upholstery" that I chose for my Triple Happy Helicopter." I paid for it and it was highly suitable for the barn-storming.
I graduated with my Bachelor of Aviation Degree at age 70 then lectured at University Western Sydney on five aviation degree subjects 2004-2006. Started Helicopter Weddings above Sydney Harbour in 2004 with Chapel in the Sky. Am the author of history book "First Females Above Australia - first 100 years of Australian women pilot firsts 1909-2009" (I knew 70 of the 100 I wrote about). Recent book about my career is "Smile at the Sky" and will now be adding a further chapter on the treatment still being aimed to discredit me by so-called professional aviators. Where is the level playing-field?
Misogyny has always been healthy in Australia and believe me I felt it but am surprised to be subjected to it 53 years later. At 81, I recently travelled 20,000km donating books to school libraries and talking to groups on aviation. I've given more to aviation than most. An apology would be nice?
