Nancy Bird-Walton Dies..
 

From yahoo news..

:sad::{

What a sad loss. You will be remembered forever Nancy.

TBT

Farewell to a Gem:{

Disco Stu

Learnt morse from her 78 RPM vinyl. A grand old Dame of Australian aviation merely strapping on a new set of wings I'm sure. Contributed much, we need more such as she. RIP

They broke the mould after they made Nancy,
RIP.

A life worth celebrating.

RIP

A true lady, in every sense of the word - and an inspiration to all pilots, not just us girls. A pioneer in her time and a dedicated ambassador for Australian aviation.

Godspeed on gossamer wings, Ms Walton

A quick search on this forum will show how much respect she has amongst the community, and how awfully much a lot of people have learned from her.

Your name will fly on with VH-OQA, and I hope you do to wherever you are.

Nancy Bird-Walton
 

Probably no aviator in Australia has not heard the name Nancy Bird-Walton and there was no section of the aviation fraternity to which Nancy would not make herself available if asked. Any pilot who lands on the Old Bar Heritage Airstrip, near Taree and opened in the late 1920's, can say a quite "Thank You" to Nancy. She, along with many others, lent her support to the struggle to save Old Bar Airstrip from becoming sporting fields. Not once, but twice, Nancy attended celebrations at Old Bar. First in 1988 when Old Bar was "rededicated" and again in 2000 when she officially "reopened" the airstrip, which had been closed for the previous six years. We have indeed lost a true aviation icon and a real lady. As another posted, Nancy will surely be just using a different set of wings. Thank you Nancy from the Old Bar Heritage Airstrip Management Committee.

Nancy was an inspiration to us all. Such a feisty character and a wicked sense of humour.

I feel privileged to have met her and we'll certainly miss her.

What a life!

Nancy has slipped the surly bonds of earth....and touched the face of God.

:(

God bless you and keep you Nancy. Oscar Quebec Alpha will serve as a reminder of what you achieved every time we see her taxi by or fly over bearing your name proudly.

A magnificent lady and a huge loss to Australia and Aviation.

Condolences to those left behind.

EWL

She changed her name to Nancy-Bird Walton some time ago!

That's also how her name appears on the first Qantas A380!

We have lost Aviations Matriach, how many of us could have done what Nancy did, I suspect very few, flying aircraft made of glue and wood this amazing woman flew the Australian outback, with few aids, certainly no air conditioning, and was far flung stations connection to the rest of the world. The RFDS was her passion, as was flying. How many women she inspired to follow her, and for years she was the president of the Australian Womens Pilot Assoc. The fact that we now have women, as QF and other airline Captains is no small legacy of Nancy and her ambition to have women take their place as pilots and follow in her footsteps. Vale Nancy you were amazing, now flying with much loved friends, you have cemented your place in Australian history, and will live on forever, it was a privelege to know you.

An extract to a letter to the editor I sent earlier today...


Today is a truly tragic day in Australian aviation. Nancy-Bird Walton was a hero. To a nation, a national treasure, to an aspiring pilot, a hero and to a female pilot, the ultimate role model. She deserved every part of her OBE. I remember meeting her at an early fundraising event for the Bankstown Aviation Museum, as an eager 8 year old she was a delightful and lovely woman, who gladly autographed something for me and spoke to me about aeroplanes. She was delightful! Her impact will be felt forever, as an innovator (with her development of aeromedical services), as the leader and patron of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (which she founded), as a delightful, caring, intelligent, legitimate and beautiful woman, and most importantly as a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and daughter.

Long live the Queen of the Skies. May you enjoy the great blue skies of Heaven. God Bless.
Vale Nancy-Bird Walton. 16/10/1915-13/1/2009.

Another victim of her 78rpm Morse lessons in 1968.:ok:

She will be missed.

I am sad to hear that she has passed away. I read about her first a few years back. I was impressed with what she accomplished. One great aviator. Her fame is not limited to within Australia and NZ.

Outback
 

I think my lasting memory of Nancy will be her endeavours during Federation Airshows in the Outback; 6 airshows in Western Queensland in 2001.

Nancy flew in the Connie and at each stop sat at a table in a shade-tent signing her book [with a donation to HARS from each one sold.] Hat, gloves and immaculately dressed, she was always a lady!:ok:

Equally, she was an ambassador for aviation at all times. Over the years she's used her position speaking in various fora to lambast the authorities for the decline in LAME's in Oz and always promoting women pilots.

A privilege to have known her...RIP.

Sadly ;)

Yes I have to agree with Feather on the outback Airshows. She was fantastic, and had stamina well beyond her age. I ran into her again in Roma at the Women Pilot's Conference where Dick Smith donated his jet and his pilot Richard to bring her in from Sydney.

She will be remembered for her spirit, her kindness, and her beauty.

TBT

Those of us who fly do so for the love of flying. We are alive with a gift that lies within our hands and beneath our feet.

Fly high Nancy :{:{

I am the proud owner of a 'Women Fly Too' T-shirt with her picture on the back (as a stunning 20 something year old) personally autographed by her when she gave gave it too me at a Bankstown airshow in 1991.

it has never been worn and i will now have it framed behind glass.

Great loss - but she leaves a legacy - specially the Women's Pilots Association.

Grumps

A gift from above
 

I never met Nancy but saw her on TV and in the press numerous times. There are individuals who touch us from afar. They reach through everything that is and connect to us down deep within the soul. Their lives demonstrate that old adage "you can achieve anything if you really put your mind to it..." Nancy was one of these. What a grand lady!

And how many people did she inspire?! Certainly many women who've taken up the challenge to become pilots in such a male dominated arena would have benefitted from the unlimited energy Nancy put out there. And many of us men who've taken to the skies have also realised just what a gargantuan achievement it was to have done what she did (although, we can never really know what it is like; we just have some basic notions of how tough it was for her).

Well Nancy, everything we've ever loved about flying; those crisp stunning days, the shimmer of sparkling water beneath you, the feeling of swooping around base and final with the numbers nailed for the most magnificent greaser, the layers of cloud with setting sun streaming through, the thrills, the wonder and the sheer beauty that many of us reading this have been so fortunate to experience are yours forever. Right now I bet you've already transcended time & space and you're flying like never before!

Thank you for being you; it was just wonderful.

Rene :ok:

I had the privilege of flying her once in a Tiger. There can be many a lesson gleamed from a lady such as Ms Nancy Bird- Walton.

Fly High.
Doug.

QANTAS and Nancy-Bird Waltons State funeral
 

I would like to see the A380 named after her do a low fly-over, wing dipped during Nancy-Bird's funeral.
Would this be possible due to scheduling and would CASA give approval?

Please QANTAS, make it happen!

Thankyou
 

I would like to thank everyone on this forum for their very kind words in regards to the passing of my Nan. We are all very sad for her loss, but I know that her life couldn't have been any fuller.

She was a wonderful grandmother, and great-grandmother to my children Kaia and Maysa. She certainly was an inspiration to me me, and I'm so please to see just how much she inspired the aviation community in Australia which see absolutely adored.

It seems my 2 year old daughter has taken after her - as she wont listen to anyone who says "No, you cant do that!". ;)

Cheers, Baron

I also had never met her, however from the postings throughout pprune, aswell as Newpapers, Television, Radio and Word of mouth, she was an amazingly inspiring person, She has clearly touched many people and kept some flare throughout Australian Aviation,

I also would like to see VH-OQA perhaps do a gear up missed approach for Ms Walton...

As FR said,

She was an insperation to all

A great lady.

State funeral 12.30, St Andrews cathedral Sydney on Wednesday 21st. Be there!

I met her last November, when I was on holiday in Australia. She was enthusiastic and full of life, and I really enjoyed talking to her and hearing some of her fascinating stories about flying in the Outback. It's hard to believe she's gone...but her memory will live for ever.

"What a Girl"

I hope she wrote her memoirs.

Was Vic Walton a relie? And then there is Harry Walton. Each contributed much to Australian aviation.

Vic Walton was involved with the operation of float planes out of Pittwater. He established an annual trophy for presentation to the Flight Tester of the Year as determined by the Flight Test Society of Australia.

Harry Walton was also into flight testing as an FTE particularly in the early days of the F-111s at Edwards AFB.

God bless you and take care of you Nancy-Bird.

Your legacy will live on and we will never forget you.

Condolences to all of Nancy's family.

I hear from very reliable sources, that on announcement of the possible sale of Qantas, Nancy was on the phone to one G Dixon, who received a bollocking that only Nancy could give, and one GD spent some time trying to convince her that it was the best outcome for the company, she would not have a bar of it, and made her feelings very plain, no, make that extremely plain, and one GD was quite shaken, (though resolute). The Matriarch had spoken, nobody but nobody was going to sell her beloved Rat, and she made it plain to anybody in the business with whom she came in contact. Her delight at the failure was second to none, and as Nancy had the ear of many a politician, ???!!!! in the most honest way, (no bribes from her), just a earful, regarding the Aviation Industry, and her special interests like GA and her concern of the treatment of QF engineers she was one powerful lady,in the nicest possible way. All who can turn up for the funeral, please do so, she had all your interests at heart, and deserves a fitting farewell. Fly peacefully little lady.

She wrote two books: "Born to Fly" and "My God, it's a Woman!" The first is out of print and quite rare; the second easily obtainable. They're well worth reading. I have signed copies of both, and no, they aren't for sale!

Incidentally, she spelled her name "Nancy-Bird Walton" because she felt that since most of her flying had been done before she even met her husband, it was more appropriate for her to be known as Nancy Bird, and that seemed to her the best way of ensuring that happened. She was very insistent on that spelling.

fantome, you prove once again how unreliable memory is. Dug the record out of the cupboard and I owe you a beer.

I stand corrected Fantome, however my belief is that Nancy requested that instead of flowers at her funeral, she wants all to donate to the RFDS, so typical of her. Does anybody know what the flypast is going to consist of?

Just a suggestion, on Amy Johnson day, many moons ago, we, all on take off, said it was for Amy. I don't think the ATC would mind one bit, for those of you who are taking off on that day, ( Weds) say it is for Nancy, you will find most pilots will follow. A fitting tribute.:D

Nancy on this morning at 1005 EST with Margaret Throsby on ABC Classic FM. A repeat of an interview made some years ago, with Nancy's choice of music between chatting segments.

Teresa

That is a top suggestion. Perhaps you could make it a new thread and ask the Mods to stickyfy it.

Gives me 48 hrs to get a PPL and an aeroplane.

Rgds

Qantas Flyover
 

From another place;

"A380 VH-OQA operating as QF6601 will perform the flyover at Nancy-Bird's funeral on Wednesday.

The routing will be to hold off the Manly area, track 1500ft through the Heads down Sydney Harbour, followed by a climbing left turn to 2100ft to cross the City, following George St from North to South.

ETD: 1115

ETA: 1220 "


G'day ;)