Australia’s aviation pioneer Nancy-Bird Walton names Qantas Airbus A380 Superjumbo after her

Qantas Airways, Australia’s largest airline, has named its new Airbus A380 Superjumbo, the world’s largest passenger aircraft, after Nancy Bird-Walton, Australia’s first woman commercial pilot.

Nancy Bird-Walton, Australia's first woman commercial pilot

The 92-year-old Nancy herself performed the christening of the plane at a ceremony held at Sydney Airport on September 29, 2008.

Nancy Bird, who learnt to fly in 1933 when she was just 17 and became Australia’s first woman to be licensed as a commercial pilot, said at the ceremony held in her honour: “Qantas first asked if they could name this magnificent plane after me at my 90th birthday three years ago and I made it my decision to stay alive – and I’ve made it. It is my greatest pleasure to name this aircraft Nancy-Bird Walton.”

On the occasion, Geoff Dixon, chief executive of Qantas Airways, told the assembled guests: “Nancy-Bird Walton was an automatic choice when it came to naming the airline’s first A380.” He then turned to the aviation pioneer and said: “Nancy-Bird Walton, your courage, resilience and optimism represent the very best of Australia. We are so delighted you agreed to have this plane named in your honour.”

After the naming ceremony, Nancy joined guests of Qantas and mediapersons on a joyflight on the A380 up the north coast and returned to Sydney in the afternoon.

Nancy Bird was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in 1915. When she was 13 years old, she went for a joy flight in a Gipsy Moth aeroplane at a local fair, and, as it were, her future was decided. Soon, she began saving for flying lessons.

Though her father did not approve of her desire to fly, Nancy did not change her mind. It was the legendary Charles Kingsford Smith who first conducted her flying lessons.

In an era when women pilots where very rare, Nancy learned to fly at the age of 17.

In the beginning, Kingsford Smith did not take her as seriously as he should have, since Nancy only stood at 5 foot (150 centimetres), but she soon won the trainer’s respect.

In 1935, she was hired to operate an air ambulance service, named the Far West Children’s Health Scheme, in the outback New South Wales. Nancy’s own Gipsy Moth plane was used as the air ambulance.

Even while saving the lives of patients by flying them to hospital, Nancy needed a good deal of skill to save her own life when using the airstrips available in those days. Often, she had to land in paddocks that were dotted with rabbit holes. In those times, navigation instruments were basic, and often road maps rather than aviation maps were needed in order to get from one place to another.

In 1939, Nancy fell in love with Englishman Charles Walton aboard an ocean liner while she was returning to Australia after undertaking aviation research in England.

She was 24 when she married Charles Walton and they had two children named Anne Marie and John.

Nancy’s passion for flying stayed strong. She set up the Australian Women Pilots Association in 1950 and she remained its president until 1990.

The Australian Women Pilots Association – whose motto is ‘skies unlimited’ – was the starting block for a proud generation of female pilots, who now fly alongside men in Australia’s skies.

Thanks to Nancy’s pioneering aviation work, women are now working as airline captains, helicopter musterers, and search and rescue pilots – there are even nuns who fly planes.