Vale Captain Ron Carnell

[Captain Sherm]

Notice in todays Age, Ron passed away August 25th.

As Assistant Senior Regional Captain, Melbourne for TAA, Ron was simply a gentleman. Never too busy, never hassled, sign whatever was needed, and in my time in the cockpit with him while I was a 727 F/O, a great pilot.

A WW2 bomber pilot with the RAAF Ron was an airman like so many hundreds of his kind who came back from the war to build TAA, Qantas and Ansett. Great men and their kind will not likely pass this way again. Some of us as managers in our careers have been lucky enough to stand in their shadows, but few if any could ever outshine them. That is our industry's loss. We must not forget them or their legacy.

A well earned rest.

RIP Captain

[john_tullamarine]

Had a jumpseat ride in the B727 MEL-SYD as a young chap with Ron shortly after I graduated .. lovely bloke ...

[P51D]

Capt Sherm - I wouldn't know this bloke from Adam, but it's good to see blokes like you writing tributes like this to this man, who would've brought much to the industry and was a survivor who clearly transitioned from WW2, DC3's etc to the jet age and did it with aplomb.

[genex]

Just as an aside....since John Tulla mentioned the 727.....for the young guys here.....a memory or two....

Imagine that wonderful 727 world....climbing at 340/.83, cruise at .84 or .85 or whatever was needed to pass the opposition, descend at 350 til 15 miles....(or if really needed climb/cruise and descend at 380/.88)........3 of us in the cockpit, First Class scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast....

And....a great union, respected by the company, a scope clause, no FOQA, good CRM between the 3 of us up front (though we didn't know what CRM meant).....and a CEO who could have taken his seat in the cockpit and fitted in well

That was the world Ron and his kind built (Captains and the finest of men such as Ball, Bailey, Maloney, Fischer, Clark, Clarke, Whittell, James, Edwards, Glenn, Shaw, Fuller, Goodall, Winch, Fox, Hickey, Morey, Munro, Greenwood, Laurie, Felstead, Collins, Roche).....it didn't quite have to go...and it could, in appropriate ways , come back......

Our choice....what a memorial to those who went before to ensure the best bits of real airmanship stay in our cockpits, our unions, our self-view, our training agendas......our world. I am in the golden years now and the shadows grow long....but young pilots could take this baton if they wished....rather than bleating about how rough life can be.

Safe flying

[teresa green]

Vale Ron, another from my era gone. I would like to add the likes of Fatty Hawkins, Dick Holt, Buck Brooksbank, Gordon Close, Peter Korseman, The great Larry Blackman (Slats), Jimmy Murtha, Dave Baker, Ray Baker, John Rosenblum, Geoff Litchfield, top blokes, top pilots, what a privilege to fly and work with these blokes, what a privilege to fly TAA, and don't forget some of our great cabin crew, those girls were something else, worked like beavers, loved a laugh and a joke, great company on o'nights (as long as you kept your hands to yourself)! (well most of the time)! And for those of us who were lucky enough to spend time in PNG, MAGIC!

[Old Aggie]

I agree Captain Sherm,
Ron was a gentleman and great to fly with.
RIP, Ron.

[Knumb Knuts]

Coupla Trees are Green nominees could be left off too.

RIP Ron - these were wonderful pilots with whom we shared cockpits - not just the great 72'.