AIPA ‘Stick With It’

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Welcome back to Stick With It – Season 3! In our first episode of the new season, we kick things off by celebrating International Women in Aviation Week with two inspiring Qantas Group pilots: Captain Sarah Davidson, a Qantas 737 Captain, and Allegra Taylor, a Jetstar First Officer. They share their journeys into aviation, the challenges women pilots face, the importance of representation in the flightdeck and how they balance flying with family life — all while offering powerful advice for the next generation.

Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome back to Stick With It Season 3 & International Women in Aviation Week
01:19 - Sarah's aviation journey
04:03 - Gender barriers and pioneering women pilots in aviation history
07:07 - Allegra's path to aviation
10:52 - Flying with other women pilots
13:57 - What makes a great flying partner and effective crew teamwork
22:02 - Balancing work and family life as pilots
25:20 - Captain’s story: managing breastfeeding while flying after maternity leave
36:33 - Final advice for young listeners — you can make it happen

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Fly safe and stick with it.

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For our final episode of the season, we’re joined by John Mullen, Chair of Qantas, and one of Australia’s most respected and globally experienced business leaders. With more than two decades spent leading major transport, logistics, and infrastructure companies around the world, John brings a rare mix of boardroom insight, historical perspective, and genuine curiosity to this conversation.

John shares his own career journey and we dive into the enduring excitement of flying, how John came to take on the role of Qantas Chair, and the realities of leading an organisation made up of very different personalities — from managers to pilots. We discuss ambitious initiatives like Project Sunrise, reflect on the legacy of Sir Hudson Fysh and early aviation pioneers, and look ahead to what’s next for Qantas in an evolving global industry.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction
00:58 - How Boards Function
04:20 - How Former Board Members Might View Today’s Boards
05:10 - How Boards Communicate Internally
07:04 - John’s Career Journey
13:27 - Interest in Maritime History
17:05 - The Feeling of Underwater Discovery & Adventure
20:00 - Flinders: Can Leaders Still Lead Like They Did Centuries Ago?
22:07 - How Qantas Compares to Other Companies
23:57 - How the Qantas Brand Evokes “Home” and Australian Identity
25:30 - Why Stay Involved in Leading Major Companies?
28:00 - The Importance of the Qantas Founders Museum
28:55 - The DNA of Qantas
30:43 - The Ongoing Excitement of Flying
31:34 - Becoming Qantas Chair: How the Role Came About
34:00 - Managers and Pilots: Navigating Different Personalities
37:20 - The Sunrise Project
40:00 - Sir Hudson Fysh: From Pioneering Aviation to Today
41:57 - What’s Next for Qantas
44:40 - Parallels Between Aviation and the Wine Industry
45:58 - Do People Want the Chairman’s Phone Number?
47:07 - Outro
Fly safe and stick with it.

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In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Brendyn Appleby, a seasoned strength and conditioning coach with over 25 years of experience in elite sport. Brendyn has worked with top organisations including the WA Institute of Sport, Western Force (Super Rugby), and the Australian Men’s Hockey Team across three Olympic Games (Rio, Tokyo, and Paris). Today, he serves as a Senior Lecturer in Allied Health at Murdoch University.

Brendyn shares his journey coaching professional athletes and how he’s translating that knowledge to the world of aviation. Discover the fascinating parallels between high-performance sports environments and piloting, and why mindset, preparation, and health are critical for success in both fields.

To help pilots monitor and achieve their personal health goals, Brendyn founded Huperco — a business dedicated to bridging the gap between elite athletes and everyday people.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:44 - Meeting at the airport heading to Olympics
03:03 - Brendyn's Career Background
04:14 - What does an S&C Coach do for professional athletes
06:37 - Bring a High Performance Mindset to Piloting 
07:49 - FlyingFit Initiative 
21:10 - Simple Things for Pilots
38:09 - Outro
Fly safe and stick with it.

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Welcome back to Stick With It.
In this episode, we are joined by Captain John Cawood, a Check and Training Captain on the Boeing 787 with Jetstar.
John’s aviation journey began in South Africa, where he flew with the South African Air Force before moving into commercial aviation with South African Airways. His career then took him to Emirates, where he gained experience flying long-haul operations across multiple continents. Over the years, John has flown an impressive range of aircraft types, including the Airbus A340, A330, and A320, building a wealth of knowledge and expertise across both widebody and narrowbody fleets.
When Jetstar introduced the A330 into its operations, John was offered to take on the role of Training Captain, helping shape the airline’s training culture and supporting pilots transitioning onto new aircraft types. Today, he is based in Melbourne as a Check and Training Captain on the Boeing 787, continuing his passion for developing and mentoring the next generation of pilots.
In our conversation, John reflects on his early career and the lessons learned flying with both military and commercial airlines, before sharing his perspective on the unique challenges faced by today’s new pilots entering the industry. With more graduates coming straight from training academies and entering the airline with relatively low flying hours, John offers valuable insights into how training programs are structured, what skills are most important to develop early and how both resilience and discipline play a role in a pilot’s success.
This is a fascinating discussion for anyone interested in the path for student pilots, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at how training standards are evolving to meet the demands of modern aviation.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
00:48 - Early Flying & South African Air Force
04:27 - Airline Career Path
06:51 - Joining Jetstar
13:07 - Training & Development
21:34 - Evidence Based Training 
29:47 - Supporting Pilots During Training
33:40 - Satisfying Part of Being a Check Captain
35:34 - Aircraft Variants in Jetstar
36:28 - South African Airforce During War
39:30 - Closing Remarks
Fly safe and stick with it.

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In this conversation, Andrew Taylor and Head of AIPA Legal - Matthew Warburton discuss the ongoing long haul negotiations and the in-principle agreement reached. They delve into the drafting process, the implications of unprotected actions, the voting process, and the potential consequences of a no vote. The discussion also covers the risks associated with industrial action, negotiation strategies, and the importance of incremental gains in agreements. The conversation emphasises the need for pilots to be educated about the process and to vote wisely.
EDIT:* We have updated the podcast as the timeline has since changed.*

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Long Haul Agreement
00:37 Drafting the In-Principle Agreement
02:42 Voting Process and Member Engagement
05:50 Consequences of a No Vote
10:27 Industrial Action and Its Implications
15:58 The Role of Fair Work Commission
17:31 Incremental Gains in the Long Haul Agreement
19:11 Trust and Negotiation with Qantas
24:20 Conclusion and Call to Action
25:20 Understanding Employer Actions in Industrial Disputes
27:25 Navigating Unprotected Industrial Action
29:12 The Importance of Seeking Expert Legal Advice
Fly safe and stick with it.