Thanks Qantas
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It's great to get the kids up at the end of the flight.....throw them in the seat and let them 'drive' the plane. Seeing their joy takes me back to when I was 4 (yes I can remember it so clearly)....going up the front of an Air New Zealand F27 and talking to the pilots. Actually I didn't do much talking. Hooked ever since.
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great stuff everybody!!
My dad worked for TAA from the 60's to the 90's, and as a kid we did a lot of flying on DC9's and 727's. I loved visiting the guys up the front and the flight engineers always loved to tell the kids stories and point out all the bits and pieces that make an aircraft fly. TAA even had a 'Junior Flyers' club and I still have my old plastic wings tucked away in a box of goodies in my study. Really great memories.
Years later, I decided to fix em not fly em and I'm passionate about getting kids involved in work experience to hopefully ignite a fire in their bellies (like the one that was ignited in mine).
Good on that QF crew and good on VHOBI for posting such a positive story
Years later, I decided to fix em not fly em and I'm passionate about getting kids involved in work experience to hopefully ignite a fire in their bellies (like the one that was ignited in mine).
Good on that QF crew and good on VHOBI for posting such a positive story
Join Date: Nov 2006
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As I was young kid back then I happened to fly on Qantas quite a number of times. As usual I would always ask if I could see the flightdeck and those guys up front at QF would always be as enthusiastic and eager to let me in all the time even after a long day, to answer any questions and show me around in there.
I am now training to be a pilot and they have indeed played a big role in keeping my inspirations up. I hope I will have have an opportunity to do the same in the future.
Thanks guys!
I am now training to be a pilot and they have indeed played a big role in keeping my inspirations up. I hope I will have have an opportunity to do the same in the future.
Thanks guys!
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I still remember being on a BA 747 when i was about four or five years old. Went up to the flight deck, like others, set me in my direction of what I wanted to do!
Won't ever forget it!
Pyro
Won't ever forget it!
Pyro
Great to hear that some still do that little extra to make someones day. Such as simple gesture.
Though not a shiney 747, my inspiration was from row 2 of a Whyalla Airlines Navajo, AD to CEE. I used to watch and wonder what ALL those numbers on the gauges could mean?
Nav.
Though not a shiney 747, my inspiration was from row 2 of a Whyalla Airlines Navajo, AD to CEE. I used to watch and wonder what ALL those numbers on the gauges could mean?
Nav.
Thread Starter
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I am really so pleased to see such a positive response to my initial post, sincerest thanks to you all for taking the time to post your replies and your stories of flight deck visits here, you will all be pleased to know that this expedition has now been documented in the form of a photo album that is being prepared for viewing to a very keen grade 1 class in a primary school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. I really hope the crew of this flight are now aware of the happy memories they have brought to this little girl. I would love to post a pic, are we allowed to do that?
are we allowed to do that?
My first flight deck visits were with Ansett probably in 94-95, in the 737 classics for memory! nowadays the flight deck visits are still as fascinating but the many questions asked of the crew are a bit more in depth!
15 years down the track and im slowly working towards the seat up front! ALOT more blood, sweat and tears (And $$$) to go... but boy the dream of getting that seat just sends shivers up my spine!!
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This is a great thread - I was fortunate to visit many QF flight decks, including a 747 on my 8th birthday. I remembered each visit to this day and it really fuelled my passion for aviation and Boeing aircraft.
To all the crew who let a young girl visit the flight deck about 2 decades ago, thank you! All the flight crew I have ever come across have been fabulous people to meet.
To all the crew who let a young girl visit the flight deck about 2 decades ago, thank you!
All the flight crew I have ever come across have been fabulous people to meet.
Join Date: Apr 2007
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My kids have never had a bad ride with Qantas. The service has always been great. Last flight the kids were invited to look at the flightdeck but they weren't interested!
The one time we flew as a family with Virgin was fine also, just to be fair.
The one time we flew as a family with Virgin was fine also, just to be fair.
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Thanks for posting this OGI.
I remember on pretty much every flight I went on as a kid pre 9/11 trying to get up to the front. Most of the time they were very accommodating...
Jumpseat ride at night into MEL in a QF 762, jumpseat ride into MEL in a QF 734, and plenty of other visits back in the TN days, A300 and 733/734. Also remember a visit to the big brown expanse of a brand spanking new KLM 744 too, I had to go with other kids - they knew sweet F.A about what they were looking at but I was cluey... I could pick a 744 from a mile off with the upper deck and winglets..
But yep, they're all etched in the memory. Now i've just gotta try and get a job working there...
I remember on pretty much every flight I went on as a kid pre 9/11 trying to get up to the front. Most of the time they were very accommodating...
Jumpseat ride at night into MEL in a QF 762, jumpseat ride into MEL in a QF 734, and plenty of other visits back in the TN days, A300 and 733/734. Also remember a visit to the big brown expanse of a brand spanking new KLM 744 too, I had to go with other kids - they knew sweet F.A about what they were looking at but I was cluey... I could pick a 744 from a mile off with the upper deck and winglets..
But yep, they're all etched in the memory. Now i've just gotta try and get a job working there...
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Posting Photo's
VHOGI
You probably saw the sticky but in case you missed it - to post photo's:-
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...ng-pprune.html
http://www.pprune.org/spectators-bal...une-guide.html
You probably saw the sticky but in case you missed it - to post photo's:-
http://www.pprune.org/dg-p-general-a...ng-pprune.html
http://www.pprune.org/spectators-bal...une-guide.html
Join Date: Feb 2004
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I had a memorable cockpit visit on a Qantas Boeing 707 in 1977 from Jakarta to Sydney. We had just completed a school tour of Indonesia and were returning home from the old Halim airport in Jakarta. There must have been about 15 of us asking to visit upfront and the crew were fantastic in accommodating all of us, not at all the same time of course!
A few years earlier, we were also on a Qantas 707 flying from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney. I must have been about 9 years old at the time and weather got a little bumpy so the flight engineer strapped me in the jump seat. I ended up being in the cockpit for about an hour due to that. Sadly, those days are long gone.
A few years earlier, we were also on a Qantas 707 flying from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney. I must have been about 9 years old at the time and weather got a little bumpy so the flight engineer strapped me in the jump seat. I ended up being in the cockpit for about an hour due to that. Sadly, those days are long gone.
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What a great positive thread for a change.
Yes we are limited in what we can do these days but this is an initiative that is so much appreciated by the kids and their parents.
A lot of people don't have a camera with them so I have on many occasions taken photos on my camera and emailed them to the people. It is very gratifying to get some of the replies and realise just how much impact such a simple gesture has had on a child and their family.
Like everyone else, I really miss the "good old days" when we could have people up front in flight. I reckon I have cured some people who were previously "scared of flying" by having them up front for a chat in flight and explaining a few things to them. (Some of them having seen me were probably even MORE scared!!!)
Yes we are limited in what we can do these days but this is an initiative that is so much appreciated by the kids and their parents.
A lot of people don't have a camera with them so I have on many occasions taken photos on my camera and emailed them to the people. It is very gratifying to get some of the replies and realise just how much impact such a simple gesture has had on a child and their family.
Like everyone else, I really miss the "good old days" when we could have people up front in flight. I reckon I have cured some people who were previously "scared of flying" by having them up front for a chat in flight and explaining a few things to them. (Some of them having seen me were probably even MORE scared!!!)
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funny you should say that, Woftam.....I had a very well know ex-Aussie cricketer from the Lillee/Marsh/WALKER days in the jumpseat...when it was all legal...and none of the crew had a camera.....so he pulls his out and takes about 100 shots of everything.....and then sends me a CD with them all there, and a book of his latest memoirs, ........and the funny thing he was on his way to Sydney to do a charity lunch that a whole load of suits had paid $1000 per head to listen to his banter....another great guy...imagine Russel Crowe or other knob doing that.......I don't think so......
...oh, got a good story about Neil Armstrong if anyone wants to hear it...
....where have all the good guys gone..........?
...oh, got a good story about Neil Armstrong if anyone wants to hear it...
....where have all the good guys gone..........?
For the most part I find flying with Qantas, and in fairness most of their competition, to be still a relatively pleasant experience. And the quality of customer care is still around.
Two weeks ago I was returning ADL-MEL on the afternoon of the storms in Victoria. As a natural consequence the aircraft was delayed and we all sat around in the departure area. I noticed the Captain quietly strolling around the area chatting with the passengers. He was explaining the delay, which was only around 20 minutes anyway, but I watched him engage with the entire complement of passengers in that lounge- every single one of them. The result was that everyone knew what was going on, nobody was irritated, everyone felt included. He could easily have just sat around drinking coffee and waiting for the PA to announce a delay but he didn't.
And yes I wrote to Qantas to let them know directly that they have good people working for them.
Two weeks ago I was returning ADL-MEL on the afternoon of the storms in Victoria. As a natural consequence the aircraft was delayed and we all sat around in the departure area. I noticed the Captain quietly strolling around the area chatting with the passengers. He was explaining the delay, which was only around 20 minutes anyway, but I watched him engage with the entire complement of passengers in that lounge- every single one of them. The result was that everyone knew what was going on, nobody was irritated, everyone felt included. He could easily have just sat around drinking coffee and waiting for the PA to announce a delay but he didn't.
And yes I wrote to Qantas to let them know directly that they have good people working for them.
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Stories like this seem to rekindle good memories of all our childhoods when we only dreamt of one day flying planes. This story transcends airline competition, rivalries, dodgy management, recession, strikes, fuel prices etc etc (woes of the industry). It certainly gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling that all too often the industry has failed abysmally.
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Russell Crowe might do something like that. A lot of the time I think he gets a bad rap in the press, but that's the world his in.
One day when I worked on the Ramp he left his diary onboard, it had all his personal info and contacts in it. The Cabin Cleaners found it and handed it in, and didn't expect much more to come of it. Well a couple of weeks later when he was back in town he invited the people that found it out for dinner with him and his wife, Shane Warne and his missus were also there. From what I heard they all had a great night and from then on my opinion of Russell softened.
As someone said earlier, you reap what you sow. So good on the crew for doing a little bit extra.
One day when I worked on the Ramp he left his diary onboard, it had all his personal info and contacts in it. The Cabin Cleaners found it and handed it in, and didn't expect much more to come of it. Well a couple of weeks later when he was back in town he invited the people that found it out for dinner with him and his wife, Shane Warne and his missus were also there. From what I heard they all had a great night and from then on my opinion of Russell softened.
As someone said earlier, you reap what you sow. So good on the crew for doing a little bit extra.
Bit of thread drift, but in the feelgood theme of the thread I thought I'd stick up for poor old Rusty...
Crowe to the rescue on set of Robin Hood
Crowe to the rescue on set of Robin Hood