IN a poignant tribute to her dad, Moruya’s Rebecca Smith is in the process of studying for her pilot’s licence.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mrs Smith is the daughter of well-respected flying instructor Graham White, who died tragically in a plane crash off Barlings Beach on July 6, 2014.
On Sunday, Mrs Smith flew in her father’s RV-4 plane in a memorial flyover to commemorate the first anniversary of the fatal flight.
Mrs Smith said that inheriting her father’s plane, described as the “Porsche of planes” by some aviation enthusiasts, was the catalyst.
“I guess I inherited a plane and figured I had better learn how to fly it,” she said.
“I was in the back of it today; my husband Paul flew it.
“I won’t be flying that for a while – it’s a bit fast.”
Mrs Smith is ready to sit her pilot’s test.
“I had started learning with Dad a few times in the past, but then he used to always take me and do aerobatics, so that was more fun,” she said.
“I thought, if I’m going to go flying with Dad, I would rather do that.”
Mrs Smith said she began lessons “from scratch” in February and that she would take her test in the coming weeks.
“I’ve been flying solo already,” she said.
“You have to do five hours solo before you can do your test, and a whole heap of other things.
“I’ve done all my theory exams, I just need to do my test with an instructor.”
She said it was emotional to fly in her father’s plane on Sunday, but she was pleased to see all those who came out in support of her dad and amateur pilot Ralph Buchanan.
She said both men were humble and wouldn’t have wanted a fuss.
“They weren’t into big speeches or grand events,” she said.
“We wanted it to be just a typical aero club day, where people hang around and have a chat and a sausage sizzle – no big speeches or any of that sort of thing.
“It’s worked out perfectly.”
Related coverage: Flyover held one year on