Working in the Jetstream: Tales from thirty years flying as an airline steward

The crew manager droned on ... 'You are now ready to become a crew member in an enviable and very unique job that not only will take you to places you could only dream of, but you will see funny, sad, surprising, unbelievable, incredible, stupid and fascinating things of life in your travels.' Brian Leary's amusing, touching and sometimes shocking tales show just how prescient the crew manager was. "This truly was an emergency. If we did not get these kids into the air-conditioned aircraft immediately and give them fluids and medication, we were going to lose them. Each of us carried a shoebox with the precious contents, and led the children who could walk into the aircraft, like pied pipers."

About the Author :
Brian Leary was born in the southwest town of Temora, NSW, in 1936 and for the next twelve years lived in the Westminster Hotel, which was owned and run by his parents. They then moved to Sydney and Brian went to a trade school in Surry Hills for four years. After leaving school he undertook an apprenticeship in Fitting and Machining.'As soon as I got my certificate, I left on a ship bound for England to see the world. I would ramble about all over the continent and England until I ran out of money and then do odd jobs before going walkabout again. At one point I secured a job at Ferrari's Motors and stayed there six months driving around England, then returned to Sydney in 1961 and to a recession.'A retail whitegoods company employed me for the unsavoury job of repossessing appliances.'By chance I saw an ad in the Sydney Morning Herald requiring three stewards for overseas service with Qantas Empire Airways.'I applied ... there were over two thousand applicants and yes, I was one of the lucky ones, and over the next thirty years progressed up the ranks to Chief Flight Steward.'I met thousands of VIPs in situations where you could sit and talk with them.'When Gough Whitlam became prime minister, the chance fell my way to be his valet, touring all over Europe.'During the Vietnam War, I was a volunteer, and from 1969 to 1971 flew as air crew, transporting troops and equipment into war zones.'Then, I was involved in rescuing two hundred and fifty orphan children from Saigon during the bombardment and subsequent fall in 1975. For this, I was invited to be on Mike Munro's TV program, This Is Your Life.'Retirement came in a rush and flying was over. I had tuition in singing, culminating in the year 2000 singing in a small group of eleven in St Peter's Basilica in Rome to Pope John Paul II.'With my beautiful wife, who worked at 2SM radio station (we were engaged on air), we took up dancing, and both have gold medals as champions.'We have three children who all flight crew for the airline, with a whopping combined 118 years of service between us.'My interest has always been in vintage cars that have come and gone. At the moment it is a Studebaker and a 1928 fire engine.'I enjoy reminiscing about my adventurous life.'