AIPA ‘Stick With It’

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Welcome back to Stick With It.

In this episode, we are honoured to sit down with a true pioneer of Australian aviation, Captain Sharelle Quinn (RET).

Sharelle’s story is one of determination, courage, and history-making achievements. Inspired at just eight years old by a Qantas stamp design competition where the prize was a flight in a Cessna 172. Despite the challenges women faced at the time, and following Deborah Lawrie’s groundbreaking fight to open the skies to female pilots, Sharelle purs...

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Welcome back to Stick With It.

In this episode, we are joined by AIPA’s rostering and scheduling expert, Anthony Mangan.

Anthony’s aviation career began with Qantas in 1996, where he gained experience across a range of operational roles before moving into the Integrated Operations Centre. There, he worked at the heart of airline logistics, managing the complex and ever-changing movement of pilots across the network. This hands-on experience gave him a deep understanding of the pressures and priorities that shape rostering and scheduling in a 24/7 global airl...

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Welcome back to Stick with It!

In this episode, we’re joined by Carolyn Vaughan, Principal Human Factors Specialist in Aviation Psychology and Human Factors. We explore the mental and emotional challenges pilots face throughout their training journeys, and how to better prepare for them from the very beginning. Carolyn shares why adopting a “novice mindset” can be so powerful, even for experienced pilots in recurrent training, and offers practical ways to build resilience and bounce back from setbacks like failed sim sessions or difficult feedback.

We also discuss how pi...

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🎙 Stick With It – Inside the IOC: Real-Time Decisions, Real-World Pressure

Welcome back to Stick With It. In this episode, we're going behind the scenes of Qantas operations with Captain Ben Holland, A330 pilot and Manager IOC, and Chris Mulholland, Manager IOC Operations, who brings over 47 years of experience to the table.

We dive deep into the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) the nerve centre of airline operations. What actually happens when a pilot makes a call mid-flight? How does the IOC respond during emergencies or security incid...

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Welcome back to Stick With It! In this powerful and exclusive episode, we’re joined by Capt Kevin Sullivan (Ret’d), whose aviation story is nothing short of extraordinary.

Kevin began his career as a U.S. Navy pilot, flying the iconic F-14 Tomcat and training as part of the elite Top Gun program. After his military career, he made the transition to commercial aviation, joining Qantas and flying widebody aircraft across the globe.

But it was one fateful day in 2008 that would forever define Kevin's career and test ever...

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Welcome back to Stick With It! In this episode, we're joined by Capt Andrew Stewart (Ret’d), a former Qantas 747 Captain who is now a psychotherapist working with the Pilot Assistance Network (PAN). After retiring from flying, Andrew retrained as a therapist at Oxford, specialising in supporting pilots with the unique mental challenges of aviation.

We explore the psychological blocks pilots often face in training, how to manage stress, deal with imposter syndrome, and practical strategies to build resilience throughout your career.

While many of these themes may be fa...

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Welcome back to Stick With It. Today, we’re joined by Captain Ryan Smith, a QantasLink Dash 8 Q400 Check and Training Captain with a rich background that started in general aviation through the UNSW program. In this episode, Ryan walks us through his journey from flight training and GA operations into an airline operation, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to transition into QantasLink.

We dive into the challenges and steep learning curve of operating the Dash 8 Q400, a complex, high-performance turboprop and the mindset required to succeed in...

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 In this episode of Stick With It, we’re honoured to be joined by former AIPA President, Captain Wayne Kearns (Ret'd).

Captain Kearns reflects on the early days of AIPA, sharing firsthand stories from a defining era in aviation. From navigating industrial challenges to flying alongside World War II pilots, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the past through the eyes of someone who lived it.

With decades of experience both in the flightdeck and in leadership roles, Captain Kearns shares key moments from his career, the...

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We’re kicking the new season off with my good mate, AIPA President Captain Andrew Marshall. We talk through his career so far, unpack where things stand with Reduced Crew Operations (RCO), dive into the latest on enterprise bargaining, and look ahead to what the future may hold for our profession. 

Timestamps: 

00:00 – Introduction and welcome to season two  
00:29 – Guest introduction: Captain Andrew Marshall  
02:38 – Andrew's early career and Qantas start  
06:30 – Self-funded cadetship and pilot training  
08:09 – Role and challenges as AIPA President  
10:15 – Academic journey and Executive MBA  
13:13 – Sho...

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In the second part of this special episode, we explore what happens after the aircraft is on the ground. Andy and Pagey walk us through the post-incident process, from debriefs and investigations to the personal side of getting back in the air. 

Fly safe and stick with it.

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In this first installment, Andy and Pagey take us through the airborne phase of the QF520 incident. From the moment things went sideways to the decisions made at altitude, this is a raw and real look at crisis management in the skies. 

Fly safe and stick with it.

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This discussion provides a better understanding of what happens following an accident or incident and most importantly, the support services available to you from AIPA. You'll gain a better understanding into the process and who is available to help you manage what is always a stressful time. 

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AIPA Welfare Team - for decades this service has provided thousands of members with support, advice and assistance in dealing with a variety of issues and challenges present in the lives of our members. "You don't think you need the welfare team until you do and then you really do" is a regular mantra of the team, so listen in and gain a better understanding of the support service available to you if things in your life don't go to plan.

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Captain Stead joins us for an informative discussion about preparing for a training course, how to navigate the challenges during the course and valuable insights into how to manage things when they don't necessarily go to plan. We also cover the latest update on all things Evidence Based Training (EBT). A fascinating discussion.

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AIPA Legal - another great service offered by AIPA. Matt Warburton, our Head of Legal provides valuable insights into the service, how to access it and what to expect if you engage with a member of our fantastic team. 

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AIPA's resident scheduler provides insight and helpful tips on how to use the service that our members have told us is most valuable to them. His advice and contact details are included in the chat and is "gold" for anyone trying to get their head around the complicated workplace contracts that govern our flying lives.

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Mindfulness and being kinder to yourself: a fascinating chat with Andrew Stewart - former Qantas Captain Andrew Stewart explores the area of mindfulness and being kinder to yourself, particularly when undertaking a training course. He provides a number of valuable insights and ideas that can have a positive and meaningful impact on our members. Essential listening.

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Accommodation - AIPA's accommodation team provide valuable insights into the process of selecting accommodation for Qantas pilots and what our members can do from a reporting perspective to help us ensure that the best possible standard of accommodation is provided to our crews.

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Evidence Based Training (EBT) Part 2 - Captain Dirk Dahmen from Qantas Flight Training returns to provide an update on the rollout of the EBT training program for Qantas pilots. 

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Evidence Based Training (EBT) Part 1 - Captain Dirk Dahmen from Qantas Flight Training joins us to talk about the evolution of EBT within the Qantas training department and what our pilots can expect as they embark on the EBT journey as part of the cyclic training program.

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Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) Part 2 - we continue the discussion about FRMS, with a renewed emphasis on the process involved with going fatigued either before, during or after a duty period. 

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Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) Part 1 - we discuss the evolving world of FRMS, how it applies to Qantas pilots and how you can better understand it from a practical perspective.

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Reduced Crew Operations (RCO) - an interesting chat about the threat of reduced crew operations to the airline industry. Tony Lucas shares his insight into the issue that may seem a distant threat, but is a threat that if associations like AIPA don't take seriously now, will see airline safety dramatically reduced.

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A podcast for pilots who are members of the Australian International Pilot’s Association. This series covers a range of topics relating to Industrial Relations and Negotiations through to how to access AIPA’s welfare or scheduling services. 

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We discuss the role of the Fair Work Commission and some of the considerations of having a dispute escalated to an Intractable Bargaining Determination.

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We discuss the considerations of Protected Industrial Action and the ramifications of an industrial dispute ending up in the Fair Work Commission. 

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We discuss the industrial relations playing field and the considerations of any bargaining negotiation process. 

Fly safe and stick with it.