The Men Who Killed Qantas
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Obviously some here don't like to read about what has happened in the past.
I was given the book for Christmas and think it's a very good read without the usual journalistic sensationalism.
I really enjoy those who criticize a book without having read it
I was given the book for Christmas and think it's a very good read without the usual journalistic sensationalism.
When it inevitably ends up in the $2 bin I might shell out for it.
I perused it in the shop (Perth) just after it came out. Was tempted to buy it, but felt it wasn't worth the dough. I had a flick through most chapters and checked out the photos but felt it was mostly sensationalism coupled with some very sketchy analysis. I mean what the hell has that poor girl who tangled with the actor in the dunny got to do with the management of QANTAS? Was she one of the so called 'men' who killed QANTAS? So why was it necessary to have a photo of her in the book with an explanation? I also did read the first chapter on the QF1 and thought that was crappy writing as well.
If it was any good we would have received it as a Christmas present from the company. They like handing out glossy books.
Like I said - I would probably shell out $2 for it, but not $39.
If it was any good we would have received it as a Christmas present from the company. They like handing out glossy books.
Like I said - I would probably shell out $2 for it, but not $39.
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I mean what the hell has that poor girl who tangled with the actor in the dunny got to do with the management of QANTAS?
She was another example of QF management incompetence in that she [allegedly] caused havoc when flying internationally out of the AKL base so was "managed out of the business" [the term used I believe].
Only to reappear a short time later re-employed by Qantas in Australia as a short haul casual flight attendant. This done despite management being fully aware of her record of [allegedly] questionable behaviour.
BTW the book is available airside at SIT in the bookshop at the top of the arrival level, escalators.
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Qantas is a Carcass
QF has been dead for years.
What you have now is just a rotting carcass being picked over by a leprechaun with ambition and a Chairman in his twilight.
The official burial service will be held sometime in 2014
What you have now is just a rotting carcass being picked over by a leprechaun with ambition and a Chairman in his twilight.
The official burial service will be held sometime in 2014
The first 1/3rd of the book just goes through and tells of how many QANTAS aircraft have crashed in its history. It would be a fair topic to bring up, however I don’t see the relevance of aircraft being shot down in WW2, or brand new A model types in the 20s 40s crashing in the Australian outback, yes they crashed, but everyone crashed back then. Of the actual bits about the ‘Men who killed QANTAS’ there is very little. They state that some things they would have liked to have written were not allowed due fear of being sued.
Over all I was not that impressed with the book, I figure that if they had any sort of insider knowledge then they could have brought all the walls down with little effort.
Bit of a Michael Moore effort but in book form.
Over all I was not that impressed with the book, I figure that if they had any sort of insider knowledge then they could have brought all the walls down with little effort.
Bit of a Michael Moore effort but in book form.
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Agree-its not a bad read BUT its missing massive chunks as I have stated in a previous post.
One book that is aviation based that I just finished is the story of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith by Peter Fitzsimons- a top read.
Smithy was a larrakin / legend and a top pilot. How he survived some of the flights in the "Old Bus" is beyond me.
I asked the CSM how come we don't have... "Welcome to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport"....as part of the welcome PA anymore.
Reply=ditched some years back -by order of the Black Widow
Its sad to also read about the pioneers of Q.A.N.T.A.S. ( in this book)- they too were hero's with a true Aussie spirit.
Fast Forward to 2010 ...........
One book that is aviation based that I just finished is the story of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith by Peter Fitzsimons- a top read.
Smithy was a larrakin / legend and a top pilot. How he survived some of the flights in the "Old Bus" is beyond me.
I asked the CSM how come we don't have... "Welcome to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport"....as part of the welcome PA anymore.
Reply=ditched some years back -by order of the Black Widow
Its sad to also read about the pioneers of Q.A.N.T.A.S. ( in this book)- they too were hero's with a true Aussie spirit.
Fast Forward to 2010 ...........
Nunc est bibendum
I asked the CSM how come we don't have... "Welcome to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport"....as part of the welcome PA anymore.
I shouldn't be surprised though. When the office whallahs are focusing on the small stuff like that (and sending out memos to crew reminding them not to wear any Chrissie gear) then you can be confident that there is a whole bunch of big stuff that they're missing.
Folks,
I thought it was a book typical of a journalist, not a real "author", and certainly not of the calibre of Fitz. Somebody has already said it reads like a string of newspaper stories strung together.
His "revealing of the true QANTAS crash history", with the implication that it was hidden, was just plain silly. His "secret crash history revealed", revealed nothing other than he has copied from the appendices of the official (and excellent) QANTAS histories by John Gunn.
Indeed, the DH 86 crash at Longreach was arguably not a "QANTAS" crash, it was an Imperial Airways crew on a delivery flight.
On the safety angle, if you do a bit of homework, the only claim made is that QF have never had a fatal jet accident.
I am glad I was given it as a Christmas present, I would have been pxxxxx off if I had spent those $$$ myself.
Tootle pip!!
I thought it was a book typical of a journalist, not a real "author", and certainly not of the calibre of Fitz. Somebody has already said it reads like a string of newspaper stories strung together.
His "revealing of the true QANTAS crash history", with the implication that it was hidden, was just plain silly. His "secret crash history revealed", revealed nothing other than he has copied from the appendices of the official (and excellent) QANTAS histories by John Gunn.
Indeed, the DH 86 crash at Longreach was arguably not a "QANTAS" crash, it was an Imperial Airways crew on a delivery flight.
On the safety angle, if you do a bit of homework, the only claim made is that QF have never had a fatal jet accident.
I am glad I was given it as a Christmas present, I would have been pxxxxx off if I had spent those $$$ myself.
Tootle pip!!
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I notice none here have mentioned the chapter about the cargo price fixing debacle and the lack of loyalty shown.
It might have been better if the author had written the book in a check list format so that many of those posting here could find it easier to read.
It's obviously escaped some here that if you are going to write a book about the decline in an airline then you should really show some back ground information in the first few chapters.Hence the stories about the first aircraft,it's work and history during the war and so on.
Personally,I found the fact that he talked about the BKK accident in the first chapter before giving a historical back ground to the airline interesting.It looks like that was probably a little too subtle for some here.
It might have been better if the author had written the book in a check list format so that many of those posting here could find it easier to read.
It's obviously escaped some here that if you are going to write a book about the decline in an airline then you should really show some back ground information in the first few chapters.Hence the stories about the first aircraft,it's work and history during the war and so on.
Personally,I found the fact that he talked about the BKK accident in the first chapter before giving a historical back ground to the airline interesting.It looks like that was probably a little too subtle for some here.
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Yes RedTBar...
When I started reading thru the initial chapters I was also looking out for some sort of confirmation of the credibility of the author (as I always do).
All was going well right up to the Bangkok accident explanation where he mentioned the 747 intercepting the ILS, you know, the "Independent Landing System".....
Unfortunately, that simple line blew away any cred for me, it simply indicated the author didn't know, and his technical QA guy missed it!
I read the rest anyway...interesting...though he did seem to get bogged-down in some areas!
Cheers...FD
When I started reading thru the initial chapters I was also looking out for some sort of confirmation of the credibility of the author (as I always do).
All was going well right up to the Bangkok accident explanation where he mentioned the 747 intercepting the ILS, you know, the "Independent Landing System".....
Unfortunately, that simple line blew away any cred for me, it simply indicated the author didn't know, and his technical QA guy missed it!
I read the rest anyway...interesting...though he did seem to get bogged-down in some areas!
Cheers...FD
Last edited by Flight Detent; 7th Jan 2010 at 22:26.
Wow. Hadn't noticed that. I normally make an effort to mention the specific name of the airport as part of my descent PA. It's normally prefaced by the town and then the name- if it's got one. Sydney's Kingsford Smith, Singapore's Changi, Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi (even had a local teach me how to say it properly), Hong Kong's chep lap kok, Melbourne's Tullamarine, etc
Like so many anti-QANTAS types that frequent this fourm if you are in the business of prejudicial reinforcement then this book could be considered a good read.
Timed perfectly to take advantage of Christmas, it was guaranteed sales when purchased as gifts for family members that work for QANTAS. I suspect that will prop up the sales figures. The author probably knew he could get a few thousand sales from that alone.
I can safely predict that it isn't going to be receiving any accolades for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
Timed perfectly to take advantage of Christmas, it was guaranteed sales when purchased as gifts for family members that work for QANTAS. I suspect that will prop up the sales figures. The author probably knew he could get a few thousand sales from that alone.
I can safely predict that it isn't going to be receiving any accolades for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
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As I said some people like to stick their head in the sand and pretend that nothing is happening or at least they didn't see it happen.
You cannot objectively analyze any area of society if you have not read or acknowledge the mistakes the participants have made in the past including your own organisation.
To do otherwise is simply to be delusional or at best disingenuous.
This is a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black.
Can Oh Spare me tell us that any business including Qantas would not make the most of a time such as Christmas?
To mention just one chapter,I would like Oh Spare me to explain the cargo price fixing rort.
You cannot objectively analyze any area of society if you have not read or acknowledge the mistakes the participants have made in the past including your own organisation.
To do otherwise is simply to be delusional or at best disingenuous.
Timed perfectly to take advantage of Christmas
Can Oh Spare me tell us that any business including Qantas would not make the most of a time such as Christmas?
To mention just one chapter,I would like Oh Spare me to explain the cargo price fixing rort.
Nunc est bibendum
Maybe you should have got a local to teach you how to say Chek Lap Kok.
RedT, it's possible to damn something as mostly full of crap even though there may be 1 or 2 truthful and/or good bits in it.
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RedT, it's possible to damn something as mostly full of crap even though there may be 1 or 2 truthful and/or good bits in it.
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I think that QF should have bought a copy for each of its staff for Christmas. I bet it would have been the first book given to it's staff that didnt go straight in the Sulo.
