Australian aviators honoured in Qantas A380 naming

[Ryan N]

Australian aviators honoured in Qantas A380 naming
November 16, 2008 - 7:12PM

Charles Kingsford Smith, Reginald Ansett and the founders of Qantas will be among those to have the airline's A380s named after them, in a tribute to Australia's aviation pioneers.

To celebrate the national carriers 88th birthday, on Sunday Qantas announced the names of its fleet of 20 A380 aircraft.

Gaby Kennard, the first Australian woman to fly solo around the world, will also have one named after her.

Qantas chief Alan Joyce said that in choosing the 20 Australians honoured, the airline was "bringing aviation's past together with its future".

"Among them are Qantas founders Fergus McMaster, Paul McGinness and Hudson Fysh, who gathered at the Gresham Hotel in Brisbane and signed the formal papers to establish Qantas 88 years ago," he said.

"Others include engineers, inventors, navigators and business leaders but all are pioneers, and all are very deserving."

The airline's first A380, delivered in September, was named after Australia's first female pilot Nancy-Bird Walton.

Qantas expects to have taken delivery of three A380 by the end of this year, another eight by the end of 2009 and all 20 it has on order by the end of 2013.

AAP