Author Biography
The author lives in Brisbane, Australia with his wife Nancy and daughter Suzanne. Their family has had a fascinating journey through many countries and cultures. They have five children of their own, and three informally adopted children (from PNG, the Netherlands, and Thailand), and at last count 9 biological grandchildren - and one more on the way- 7 adopted grandchildren and 2 adopted great-grandchildren. After 6 years as an Army pilot, David, Nancy and their family spent sixteen years with a Bible Translation organisation where David was both a pilot and a senior manager responsible for a multi-cultural work force. They have been grafted into both Australian Aboriginal and Papua New Guinea tribal kinship systems and have close friends in a score of other countries and cultures. They have lived in four countries, from amongst village people in PNG to suburban Brisbane. David was a pilot for 34 years, flying both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft in some of the most inaccessible and demanding places on the planet, including combat flying in Vietnam and Chief Pilot responsibilities in the USA, Papua New Guinea and Australia. His flight experience totalled 8000 hours, of which 5000 was in helicopters and 3000 in fixed wing, with 1100 hours of the total as an instructor. In that time he flew 20 types of helicopter and 19 types of fixed wing, in 18 countries. When flying was no longer medically possible, he was recruited into senior management of a small helicopter company, where he remained for 12 years, until his retirement in 2011. He had a significant part in that company becoming an industry leader in Australia, through winning and managing contracts for Customs Border Protection, Aeromedical Retrieval, Search and Rescue, Defence, and Marine Pilot Transfer. He and Nancy now travel, look after grandchildren, and volunteer as English language tutors to refugees and immigrants in Brisbane. With this memoir complete, his focus will now turn to his next project: a book about the adventures and trials of maintaining a 44-year marriage and raising 5 kids while criss-crossing the globe.
