DARE TO DREAM … written by Angela Hughes Anthony fulfilling his dream of being a fighter pilot. MANY small boys dream of growing up to become a policeman, fighter pilot or firefighter, but rarely do those dreams become reality as small boys grow into young men and career focus shifts to different ambitions. When past student and one of Australia’s foremost business identities, Malcolm Broomhead, launched the OSA Careers and Mentors program earlier this year, he encouraged students to have a passion, follow their dreams and be prepared to make changes and ‘keep learning’ along the way to achieve a sense of happiness in their career and personal life. 24 THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW
He could well have been referring to Anthony Yelland, who exemplifies what it is like to have a dream and then set about achieving it despite setbacks along the way. Unlike those small boys whose initial dream was to grow up and become a policeman, etc., Anthony’s dream of being a fighter pilot as a young boy never wavered. But he had to overcome some mighty big hurdles along the way to achieve his dream. “For me, there was never anything else. I just knew I wanted to be a fighter pilot,” said Anthony from his current ground position at RAAF Base Edinburgh, Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Unit, in South Australia. “It (fighter pilot) was my dream. “I was quite weak with my maths at school and despite working hard was unable to pass Maths B, which made me ineligible to apply for pilot training post-TSS. I was advised to undertake a bridging course at university.” Anthony diligently set about completing his bridging course but, during the same year, entry standards were changed by the RAAF and, once again, he found himself ineligible for entry. Anthony was advised to repeat Year 12. Further contributing to his woes was an ongoing knee injury that prevented him from running, so Anthony put his fighter pilot ambitions on the backburner so to speak and began working at Sanctuary Cove’s Hyatt Hotel. But that desire to be a fighter pilot was simmering below the surface and, after visiting an air show in Melbourne, reignited. <strong>The</strong>re was still the problem with the maths, but Anthony forged ahead and enrolled to begin maths studies again, this time at TAFE. He passed! Next he applied for entry into the RAAF – a fairly drawnout process says Anthony, but he received good scores and was sent to Tamworth for flight screening and evaluation. Persistence in overcoming the odds has allowed Anthony Yelland to live his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. about laser surgery and pilot entry into the RAAF. <strong>The</strong> adage persistence pays off certainly turned out to be true for Anthony who, after many months of negotiations, finally had the surgery and, after another three months waiting to see if the surgery was successful, was finally accepted into Officer Training <strong>School</strong> at the end of 2004 – a two-year battle to get in the front door! <strong>The</strong> dream was becoming reality. Following various training schools, courses, intense studies, and giving 100 per cent to everything thrown at him, Anthony found himself one of three selected for fighter pilot training in 2007 flying the Hawk training jet. Later he became the ONLY one from his original pilot’s course chosen for the high-intensity F/A-18 Operational Conversion in 2009. Now the dream really was happening. When D-Day arrived (time to fly the F/A-18s) Anthony, like the other select few members of his team, were over the moon. “<strong>The</strong> course (for the F/A-18s) was insanely intense and difficult. We were working 15 hours a day, six and sometimes seven days a week. <strong>The</strong>re are about 700 checklist items you have to memorise word perfect, complicated systems, emergency procedures and so it goes on, but the RAAF fighter force has an impeccable safety record and zero tolerance to safety-related mistakes, so the standards are very high.” Fast-forward to today and Anthony has experienced all that he ever dreamt of – and more. He’s completed various exercises in Alaska, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, around Australia, flown armed-combat air patrol for President Obama, undertaken counter-terrorism for the Queen and been at the forefront of Australia’s national security in the air as well as involved in preparation of special forces troops before overseas deployment. “You are evaluated on how quickly you learn and your basic skills. I had only about an hour’s flight time prior to the screening, but succeeded in being recommended for employment in the RAAF as a trainee pilot.” At this stage Anthony thought his problems were over, but this was not to be. <strong>The</strong> week before he was due to begin Officer Training <strong>School</strong> he had his final medical where it was discovered his right eye had slightly less than normal vision due to a stigmatism. Basically, this meant – dream over at the age of 20 after having spent the previous years preparing for pilot training, even signing a contract. He has continued to learn and lead and today holds the rank of Flight Lieutenant, is a B Category Fighter Pilot qualified to lead (i.e. plan, brief, lead and debrief) three other aircraft on any mission, day or night. “If you get time (during the night missions) you can look up and see satellites and constant shooting stars while skimming along the clouds at 1100km/h. A surreal experience. Obviously flying a supersonic jet fighter is exhilarating, but the bit I enjoy most is the team atmosphere.” This has been Anthony’s life for the past eight years and to put it in his words: It’s been a blast! “I was devastated. <strong>The</strong> eye doctor could not offer me any alternatives, and I was told laser surgery was not acceptable. My contract was rescinded. At this stage I threw everything aviation-related out of my life and went back to normal work. I figured the maths, the knee, the eye were life’s way of telling me my dream wasn’t to be.” While he might not have realised it at the time, Anthony’s ambition was still bubbling deep inside him. “I was sitting at home, still fairly upset about it all, when suddenly I thought ‘(expletive) this’, I bet I can get laser surgery.” Determined to pursue his dream, Anthony searched the Internet until he found a health bulletin detailing everything he needed to know THE OLD SOUTHPORTONIANS’ REVIEW 25
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