From flying lightweight Piper Cub aircrafts in the military to piloting commercial airliners, and now a flight simulator at home, aviation remains a lifelong passion for Juniper Home Care customer Anthony ‘Tony’ French.
Growing up in South Africa, Tony was called up for national service as a 17-year-old during the South African Border War in the mid-1960s. After getting through some dangerous incidents while on patrol, Tony shifted from driving armored cars to piloting lightweight Piper Cub aircrafts.
“We were paid 75 cents a day in the army, so I put my hand up (for flying) as it was an extra 50 cents a day pay as you had extra qualifications or special training,” Tony said.
“I thought bugger this running over mines all the time, as my luck’s going to run out.”
Picking up his pilot’s licence after six weeks of training, Tony was then put on reconnaissance duties to scout from the air and report back to ground.
After flying fairly flimsy canvas-covered Piper Cub aircrafts in the army, which Tony considered that a slingshot could take out, he well and truly had the flying bug.
During his service, Tony also met some affable Australian United Nation’s troops who introduced him to “an Aussie girl” that he later married and moved to Perth where they went on to have three children.
On arriving in Perth, Tony secured a role with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Meekatharra, before becoming a commercial airline pilot for several years and later evaluating pilot performance as a check pilot.
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