High Corridors-Qantas !954-1970

[DEFCON4]

This is a book written by John Gunn and details some of the challenges facing Qantas as it entered into the 70s.
Industrial unrest by the AFAP and the consequent introduction of new terms and conditions for pilots.The pressure by the Australian Tourist Commission for lower airfares.Pressure form the American Government to introduce a second carrier across the Pacific.The introduction of a new aircraft type-namely the 747.The declining influence of Great Britian in South East Asia.Lee Kuan Yew pushing for the removal of Keith Hamilton from the board of MSA(Malaysia Singapore Airlines)Low Cost Charter airlines were on the rise
McEwen was pressing for the establishment of a supplemental Australian carrier with Qantas participation
Sound familiar?
The main difference is that Capt.Bert Ritchie was at the Qantas Helm

[Ka.Boom]

This book is a great read.
Particulalry the information regarding Sir Cedric Turner who has been credited with post war expansion of Qantas.Unfortunately for him his aggressive nature and his love of libation proved his undoing.The Knighthood was conferred on him to lessen the pain of his being moved on.
It is also disheartening to note the poor treatment handed out to "Huddy' by the the then Qantas board

[watch your6]

When you read books like this you realize how dumb down Qantas has become.
Ron Yates,John Ward,Peter Stainlay,Keith Hamilton,Roger Lindeman,John Menadue,Lester Brain,Sir Hudson Fysh,Ken Davenport,Bert Ritchie to name but a few of the intelligent visionaries that have been part of the management team at Qantas over the years.
Today we have....hmmm.....let me get back to you.

[THE ORACLE]

6,

You left out one of the greatest names of all. G.U. (Scotty) Allen, who almost single handedly ensured Qantas bought the Lockheed Constellation over the De-Havilland Comet.

Allen's recommendaions convinced Fysh and the Board to petition the then PM Chifley government to stand against the wishes of England who were intent that Australia buy the Comet to shore up the post war British aircraft industry.

Read Gunn's 'Defeat of Distance' and 'Challenging Horizon's' to get his full perspective on the history of Qantas.

The Oracle!!

[mustafagander]

While all the recognised books about Qantas' earlier days are a great read, right now I find them distressing. Our airline was founded by and grew to greatness under leaders, that is men who led, not bonus driven seat warmers.

No, reading Qantas at War, Wings to the World etc. just makes me depressed these days.

I'm a silly old fart who has been with Charlie Q long enough to have met and spoken with Huddy, Red Ned et al. So sad to see us being dismantled piece by piece with malice aforethought. Any further thoughts of mine are likely libellous!!!

[watch your6]

ALLEN George Urquhart( Scotty)
http://people.aapt.net.au/~dwil/allengu.jpg
Born in Forgandenny,Scotland,he had a destinguished WW1 service in 71 Sqn RFC and 11, 47, 58 Sqns RAF. Also,in WW2, 23 Sqn. He came to Australia in 1929 and joined the select band of great aviation pioneers. Accompanied Kingsford Smith , in the "Southern Cross" trimotor Fokker in April 1931 to rescue airmail stranded in Koepang on the first official England- Australia Airmail Flight.. They landed back in Darwin on 25th. April ( Anzac Day) to the cheers of Diggers still celebrating their big day.
He joined Qantas in 1934 from the original Australian National Airways, where he had been chief pilot, and was (with Lester Brain) the guiding influence in developing and administering the sound flying procedures of the infant Qantas Empire Airways as it introduced on its new overseas routes the four-engined DH86 biplanes and, in 1938, the revolutionary and handsome flying boats. Scottie Allan used his flying boat experience with the Royal Australian Air force in World War II and was, as a member of the RAAF, part of the Qantas crew that ferried the first of the Catalina flying boats from the United States to Australia in 1941 ( on what was only the third ever direct crossing by air of the Pacific). He returned to Qantas after the war, first as London manager and then as controller of technical development before becoming, in 1952, assistant general manager and the airline's chief adviser on new aircraft types, retiring in 1961as deputy chief executive and general manager.

[aveng]

Now thats a resume:D

[Race Bannon]

It was a sad day for Qantas when Keith Hamilton passed away in 1984.
Hamilton had been instrumental in establishing both Singapore Airlines and Malaysian airlines.
Hamilton was 54 when he passed away.His contribution to Qantas success was enormous.

[40Deg STH]

WOW, I read that for my QF interviews, my mother bought it for me. I loved it. 30 years on..........I;m with CX lol
Good read though:D

[moremj2]

I will have to dig it up...but a similar speech was given by Hudson upon the first delivery of the 70...Where he spoke of airlines becoming vanilla due to conglomerations and alliances to overcome destinations of low commercial value, and the introduction of "bare bones" airlines as another way to meet this type of demand.

I gave a copy of the speech to James Strong (years ago) during negotiations for an EBA, and asked where this type of insight was....(at that time)

The reply could have been scripted by Mel Brooks, and went along the corporate line of....our board has experience and complies to operational excellence guidelines etc etc (snore) etc..

[UPPERLOBE]

Hmmm, lucky you didn't get fired for having such temerity.

[Ace Wasabe]

Both Dix and Ward were against the floating of Qantas.
Both stood on their principles and left.
Enter the one trick show pony Strong.
Its been all down hill since.
Qantas has suffered from government interference through its history.
It was due to the strength of the CEO,Board and Chairman that it prospered.
Looking at the weakness of the current triumvirate Qantas is sunk
:{:{:{

[KRUSTY 34]

In other words moremj2, he didn't have, or chose not to have, the first damn clue!

[moremj2]

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

The conversation during the negotiations turned to the airlines future direction...i was pointing out that Q did (at least at one stage) have a direction, forethought, leaders, ambition, innovation, and employees which could make it happen....and requested our current (at the time) leaders grace us with their vision of the future...

Their vision was to survive their STI bonus payment and get out before it sinks...

As previous commenters have noted, i like being a human battering ram at times.....and this was one of those times...:ugh::ugh:

[teresa green]

Yep, for people of my vintage its fairly hard to swallow, and meeting some of these legends. Brain, the complete pilot, intelligent, calm, considerate, Boss of TAA, Richie, a terrific bloke, excellent pilot, great administrator, Scottie Allan, cheeky little bastard, hard as nails, but everything you would want and expect, Frank Ball, TAA boss, exceptional in every way, Hamilton, great CEO, his life cut short with a heart attack on the golf course, Menidue, surely the most popular CEO since Richie, every one of them men with vision and love for the industry and love for their airline, then comes Dixon, and Joyce, opportunists, career CEO's who don't give a sh$t if they are selling airline seats or oil rigs, as long as it returns a dollar, the staff matter nil, neither do tradition nor standards, and that is where we are now, I believe its called progress.:*

[QF94]

And what is the common denominator amongst all the previous management team to the ones installed since Strong?

They all climbed through the ranks of the company they eventually lead. They understood the company and what made it tick. They didn't milk it for what it was worth. They were all about growing and strengthening the company for the long term. That's why it has reached 91. Who knows how much longer it may survive?

Borghetti was of that mould. 33 years in the company. Knew what the true meaning of QANTAS was and would have definitely ensured the longevity of QANTAS.

[surfside6]

Agreed.
The Red Tail Men had one agenda and one agenda only:~the survival and growth of Qantas.
The visitors have another agenda:~line their pockets and Scroo The Roo.

[flyingfox]

Most early airlines, none moreso than Qantas, were grown by entrepreneurial pilots and engineers. Now it is the money men with no real knowledge or love of aviation who control the industry. Qantas is only a name from the past now, rather than a statement of excellence. Just a marketing logo in a sea of sameness. As the older pilots and engineers leave, only mediocrity will be left. All in the name of profits.

[Old Fella]

My association with Qantas was only brief, however I was mightily impressed with what I saw. A company with dedicated crews and ground staff. Aircraft, standards, and standardization second to none and no "shortcuts" tolerated.There seemed to me to be a genuine pride by all in what they contributed and in the airline itself.

I am saddened to read and hear of the way in which the once great Qantas has been turned into a company which has lost it's way and it's market share. It must be distressing for those who know how Qantas was managed and operated to witness the way in which Qantas is now "managed" by people with no apparent interest in anything other than their own financial benefits and that of shareholders.

Anyone with any understanding of what makes a company great knows that the primary ingredient is a happy and fulfilled workforce led by a team with first hand experience in what the staff contribute. Current Qantas management seems to be blind to this simple fact.

[Ka.Boom]

No one in the current EXco have come from within the Qantas company.
Ex Ansett,ex Air New Zealand and an ex Virgin hostie.
No one is imbued with the DNA of the former Qantas ethic.Borghetti was about the last to leave after 36 years of service.
The realization is starting to dawn on many that Qantas is in the process of disappearing.
Employees have fought the good fight but have lost.It is largely down to the stupidity of successive governments who in order to foster tourism at any cost have been instrumental in the destruction of the national carrier.
Start buying Qantas collectables

[boaccomet4]

In the 1970's I can remember meeting and absorbing as much Qantas history as possible from Bruce Mclaren. Bruce was a radio operator (later worked in the Navigation department in Sydney) on the Connies. He related a conversation he had with a QF engineer who had been given the opportunity to inspect a Comet 1. The engineer was intrigued with the gauge of the aicraft's skin and the words Bruce quoted were "I don't know how they will get away with such a fine guage of fuselarge skin." Sadly the engineer's hunch proved to be correct. Qantas may have well suspected the aircraft's shortcomings well before they came to fruition. However the redesigned and much larger Comet 4 was a beautiful airliner but fell short in capacity and operating costs.