Willagee resident’s love of flying runs sky-high

WITH flying in her blood, a move into the aviation industry always seemed like destiny for Carrie Munro.

The Willagee resident’s grandfather was revered World War II pilot and Dam Buster Squadron Leader Les Munro, who was farewelled in front of thousands when he died in 2015 at the age of 96.

Her father too was a pilot, flying a crop-duster in New Zealand. “I think flying was a way of being my dad’s daughter,” she said.

These days, Ms Munro is a senior flight instructor at Jandakot’s Thunderbird Aero Service.

Having previously worked in retail management, she said she enjoyed seeing others succeed.

“Training people to fly is probably one of the best things you will ever do,” she said.

“Seeing somebody taxi out in an aeroplane by themselves and take off, knowing you helped with that, is really cool.

“The most exciting thing we ever do as pilots is fly solo. It’s abject terror and excitement and everything else.

“It’s a 10-minute period you will never forget and everyone in the industry will say the same.

“But getting out of an aeroplane and letting somebody else fly their first solo is a very special thing.”

Thunderbird Aero Service has a fleet of 11 planes, including a modern, technology-rich Cirrus aircraft.

But it is a rare ex-Royal Australian Air Force CT-4 trainer that Ms Munro said was the most exciting plane in the fleet.

“It’s an old airforce trainer, so the design of it inside and outside is quite unique,” she said.

“The best thing about it is you can get upside-down.”

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